Engineers Concerned About Rain's Impact on Sinkhole

Engineers and geologists who are monitoring the sinkhole in Daisetta are concerned rain might cause the sinkhole to expand.

The sinkhole developed last week in the small town north of Highway 90 near Liberty.

It grew to a length of three football fields and a depth of about one football field, eating away at property owned by an oilfield service business.

And the people who live near the sinkhole are worried about their property.

"You can see the hole back that way and over here," said Harold McCann. He takes his daily ride along the edge of his property.

His fence line is only a couple of hundred feet from the massive Daisetta sinkhole that stretches at least three football fields across and one football field deep.

McCann said, "I hope I don't lose my house, that's the main thing."

And while the rain pounded parts of Liberty County Wednesday, the McCanns wondered if it might cause the sinkhole to expand and swallow their land - and then what?

"You know the whole town could go, who knows, so where do we go," said Mary McCann.

Engineers and geologists don't know if the sinkhole is finished growing.

The McCanns are looking for warning signs.

McCann can see cracks in his land. He said the ground has loosened a bit and his fence posts are separating from the soil and leaning toward the sinkhole.

With the use of the McCanns 4 by 4 mule, he's able to survey his property and watch the growth of the sinking hole.

Liberty County deputies are watching, too. They put up a fence to keep curious onlookers away from the sinkhole.

Liberty County Emergency Management Coordinator Tom Branch said, "I don't want folks going in there and the ground collapsing and falling off in that hole, It would be a very bad situation for us."

"Oh yes, we got a problem coming," said Mrs. McCann.

Maybe, maybe not. The McCanns can only watch the sky - and the ground - and wait.

Farm Road 770 through Daisetta remains closed until further notice.