Council States Sinkhole Not Due to Storm Flooding, Cites Unauthorized Structural Work

A local authority has stated that a sinkhole, which emerged close to a residence during Storm Bert, was not a consequence of floodwaters. Anna Earnshaw, the chief executive of West Northamptonshire Council, informed the BBC that the sinkhole originated from unauthorized structural modifications performed on the premises. As a precaution, nearby homes were evacuated on Monday. Ms. Earnshaw clarified that the sinkhole was “not directly related to the flooding” but rather stemmed from a resident undertaking work “without having the right structural knowledge,” leading to one house experiencing “collapse with ongoing issues.” Benita Magierska and her 18-month-old daughter were among several residents compelled to vacate their residence due to the sinkhole. She stated: “We’ve been evacuated. There is a massive hole under the building. As far as we know they had some water issues on the basement.” She added: “We didn’t take anything with us because we were like ‘you probably have to leave as quick as possible’.” Robert Demeter, another resident, expressed apprehension that the situation might impact other properties along the road. He remarked: “We are a bit worried because if one house collapses we could all be affected.” He further noted: “[Firefighters] told me about the danger of a gas leak or explosion, so we were a bit afraid.” A spokesperson for West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) issued a statement, saying: “A structural engineer is assessing the building where the sinkhole has appeared on Overstone Road to determine whether it is safe for people to return to the location.” For updates on Northamptonshire news, consult BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram, and X. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for content on external sites. Information regarding its approach to external linking is available.