2nd sinkhole opens up in Florida neighborhood

APOPKA, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - A second sinkhole has opened up in a Florida neighborhood about a half-mile (.8 kilometers) from where a home was partially swallowed by one earlier in the week.

Orange County Fire Rescue spokeswoman Kathleen Kennedy says the sinkhole reported Thursday morning in Apopka measures about 30 feet (9 meters) in diameter, and is about 100 feet (30 meters) from a home.

The hole is located about 30 feet (9 meters) from a greenhouse on the property, but at this time the homeowner has been advised to monitor the situation and not evacuate.

The new sinkhole comes two days after a home in the same neighborhood was evacuated after a 15-foot-deep (4.6-meter-deep) hole damaged the structure.  No injuries were reported to the home's residents. Kennedy says they're staying with relatives.  

The same family has lived in the house since 1969 and remodeled it five years ago. It's unclear what caused the sinkhole.  Neighbor Dave Carpenter was left a little uneasy.

"It definitely worries me if a sinkhole is gonna open up. You'd have to be crazy not to be worried about it, when one opens up right next door to you."

Experts said the soil level in this area is only 30 feet deep over lime rock, compared to 100 feet deep in downtown Orlando. Once there's a heavy rain, it pushes the soil into cavities, causing sinkholes to form.

Orange County Commissioner Bryan Nelson lives in this area and sells insurance too.

"If your house falls in a hole like that, that's catastrophic ground collapse. What sinkhole coverage is basically where the soil is settling or they didn't do a good job compacting when they put the foundation down."

A building inspector said the house near the second sinkhole is safe and the family can stay put for now, but everyone will be keeping an eye to the ground.