Belle Vernon home abandoned after sinkhole discovered
A family had to be evacuated from their home at 16 Graham Ave. after the front porch began to cave in Monday.
Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter
The sinkhole at 16 Graham Ave. in Belle Vernon
BELLE VERNON – A family had to be evacuated from their home at 16 Graham Ave. after the front porch began to cave in Monday.
According to Belle Vernon Mayor Gerald Jackson, mine subsidence appears to be the cause of the problem.
“The residents who live in the house found a large sinkhole on their property, but fortunately they reported the problem right away,” said Jackson, during a Belle Vernon council meeting Tuesday. “When People’s Gas came in to do an inspection, they found a gas leak on that street and they had to shut off the gas for several homes while the gas lines were rerouted temporarily. An oil tank also had to be removed from the house that was evacuated to clear space for repairs.
“Our fire department worked there until 4 a.m. to divert water from adjoining properties to prevent any flooding problems near the sinkhole. The people who live in that house were safely evacuated, and they are staying in a hotel until repairs are completed.”
Jackson added the state Department of Environmental Protection was called and the Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation is overseeing repairs. The project will involve drilling injection bore holes into the sinkhole and filling them with a combination of stone, concrete and soil. Once repairs are completed and the property is inspected, the displaced residents will be able to return to their home.
“Our engineer inspected the adjoining properties to make sure everything is safe,” said Jackson. “He didn’t find anything to be concerned about. Kudos to our fire department and everyone else for their quick response to this problem.”
In other business, Jackson noted that a section of Main Street/ Route 906 continues to be closed and detoured until the state Department of Transportation addresses rocks and debris falling onto the road. “The road isn’t safe to drive through,” he said. “There is the potential for a rock slide in the area.”