A Smyrna, Tennessee, couple says a sinkhole that opened in their yard three weeks ago is still growing, while both the city and their insurance company say the problem is not theirs to fix.
Gregg Vickrey told WSMV he first noticed the hole while mowing his lawn on Breslin Avenue. The back wheel of his riding mower dropped into what he thought was a rut, but the opening was already about the size of a softball.
The hole has grown since then. Vickrey covered it with boards while trying to find help, and he told the station the opening is now large enough for a small animal or child to fit through.
A small opening in the grass can be easy to dismiss until it keeps widening. In this case, the hole is in the yard, the homeowner says it has no visible bottom, and the people living with it say they have not found anyone willing to take responsibility.
The Homeowner Says The Hole Has No Visible Bottom
Vickrey tried to measure the hole with a 25-foot tape measure, but he told WSMV it did not reach the bottom.
He said the hole is not going to get smaller and worries heavy flooding could make it deeper. Even when the surface opening looks manageable, a deeper void below can make the yard harder to judge from above.
Insurance And The City Both Said No
The couple turned to their insurance company, but WSMV reported that the insurer said the sinkhole was not covered, even with sinkhole insurance, because it did not affect the house.
The city also said the hole is not on city property, so it is not the city’s responsibility. Vickrey said the couple is retired and on a fixed income, leaving them unsure how to pay for a fix.
Sinkholes Are Common In Limestone Areas
WSMV reported that sinkholes are part of the local landscape in Smyrna and surrounding Rutherford County because of underground caverns and limestone that can dissolve.
The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency says karst topography forms in areas with carbonate-rich rock such as limestone, gypsum, or dolomite, and can include caves, sinkholes, fissures, and underground streams.
TEMA advises people to stay aware of changes around homes and other property that could signal a geologic problem. If a sinkhole develops under or near a structure, the agency says residents should not continue staying in that structure and should consult professionals with sinkhole and remediation experience.
For any homeowner, a growing hole in the yard is worth treating seriously when it keeps expanding, swallows water, catches mowing equipment, or opens where children, pets, or visitors could step into it.