ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. — More than a dozen people who were forced from their homes by a sinkhole that opened up next to their condo building last week are being let back into their residences after an all-clear by the city.
- Sinkhole opened up next to Altamonte Springs condo building last week
- Engineers have determined there was no structural damage to building
- More than a dozen displaced; local church offering financial assistance
- RELATED:
Yellow caution tape was removed Monday at Building 536 of the Royal Arms Condominiums at 536 Orange Drive, where a crew performing unspecified testing early last week "led to a hole in the ground," a city spokeswoman said.
On Monday morning, Frank Paul Barber, the condo association president, got a call from the city of Altamonte Springs, saying residents were being allowed to return.
Engineers hired by an insurance company had combed through the 16 units adjacent to the now-filled sinkhole, finding no structural damage to the building and determining the sinkhole is not caving in and stable.
"We’re going to call all the contacts we have for them to occupy the premises," Barber said, including a 92-year-old woman. "She's doing fine. She's nervous about being here."
More testing will take place to assess structures at the condo complex. Meanwhile, electricity was expected to be turned back on early Monday afternoon, and Barber said a local church has reached out to help out any displaced residents who had financial problems as a result.
"People are obviously going to be concerned ... It’s Florida. There could be a sinkhole anywhere. It’s something we live with here. These are structurally-sound buildings," Barber said.