Sinkhole causes resort villa to partially collapse

CLERMONT, Florida (AP):

AS GLASS broke, the ground shook and lights went out, vacationers evacuated a central Florida resort building before a sinkhole caused a section of the structure to partially collapse early Monday.

About 30 per cent of the three-storey structure collapsed around 3 a.m., Lake County Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Tony Cuellar said. The building, which had housed 105 visitors, was stable by mid-afternoon, said Paul Caldwell, the development's president. Two adjacent buildings, which each have 24 units, were evacuated as a precaution.

Caldwell said the resort underwent geological testing when it was built about 15 years ago, showing the ground to be stable, and that there were no signs before Sunday that a sinkhole was developing. He said all affected guests had been given other rooms, and some guests, many of whom had to leave their wallets, purses, and other belongings behind in the quick evacuation, had been given cash advances.

Resort workers were working to do "whatever we need to do to make it right", Caldwell said.

Technicians were on the scene Monday afternoon to inspect the structures, determine when anyone might be able to go back inside, and decide whether belongings would be recovered.