Sinkhole causes partial building collapse near Disney World [video included]

The Weather Network

[VIDEO]

Monday, August 12, 2013, 4:32 PM –

A sinkhole caused a section of a Florida resort villa near Disney World to partially collapse Monday, while another section was sinking, authorities said.

About 30 per cent of the three-story structure collapsed before dawn, Lake County Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Tony Cuellar said. The villa at the Summer Bay Resort had been evacuated, and no injuries were reported.

The sinkhole was about 12 to 15 metres in diameter, Cuellar said.

The villa houses 24 units, and about 20 people had been staying in it, Cuellar said.

Authorities were called to the scene, about 16 km west of Disney World, late Sunday and found that the building was making popping sounds and windows were breaking.

Paul Caldwell, the development’s president, said a window popped in one of the rooms late Sunday. A woman ran outside and found a security guard. Another window popped, and a decision was made to immediately evacuate the building, he said.

[READ THE FULL ARTICLE]