Gigantic hole forms outside Florida home; other depressions in yard worsening

LAKE MARY, Fla. – A Lake Mary man is popping to FOX 35 News for assist after a month of back-and-forth together with his landlord over sinkholes forming in his yard. One is a number of ft huge, and intensely deep. Blaine Gladden identified, other divots are beginning to type on the other aspect of his yard too. 

“It really just makes everything ten times more stressful, because I really don’t know the integrity of the ground,” stated Gladden. “I can’t even park my car on this side, just for fear it could become part of the sinkhole.”

Gladden says the sinkhole began forming proper after the hurricane. He’s been terrified that somebody will get damage.

“There were a lot of kids that were like peeking under there, they’re like, ‘Oh, it’s a sinkhole!’ They think it’s part of Halloween, Even my daughter would look at it and get close to it. I have a one-year-old, we have to be careful. I can’t even have them play in the yard.”

He known as his landlord firm, Invitation Homes, the day after Hurricane Ian, September 29, they usually stated they’d have somebody out in two weeks.

“Within that time, I called the city, I called the County, I called the Fire Department,” listed Gladden. The City and County solely checked to ensure they weren’t at fault and confirmed the repair could be as much as the owner. The Fire Department put up warning tape across the sinkhole that had caved in however did nothing additional. 

Invitation Homes despatched out a landscaper and a plumber – neither may do something. One discovered a leak however stated it wasn’t affiliated with the sinkhole. 

Gladden known as Invitation Homes once more on Wednesday, Nov. 2, and was advised they’d ship somebody out once more on Nov. 15. 

When FOX 35 News talked on the cellphone with Invitation Homes, a consultant majorly downplayed the difficulty. When advised she ought to take the difficulty extra significantly due to the danger to youngsters, pets, and the integrity of the house, the consultant stated they might ship an announcement as a substitute of getting a dialogue.

That assertion didn’t deal with any of the questions FOX 35 News posed. It reads, 

“Invitation Homes is proud to provide high-quality homes to the growing number of Americans who choose to rent versus own. Our associates genuinely care about ensuring we provide an exceptional experience for our residents, and our teams work hard every day to honor the trust that 80,000+ families and individuals have placed in us to provide them a safe and secure home. We are working to address the concern of the resident on Mill Run Drive and will take all appropriate actions until the issue is resolved.”

In the meantime, there are other divots forming on the other aspect of the yard, and Gladden is terrified about what could possibly be below his home.

“If you step in it, your foot immediately sinks down,” stated Gladden, pushing on the grass to point out it squishing in a number of inches. “It’s kind of how that first one looked, but once the rain starts coming down, it’s probably going to open up again.”