Sinkhole in Daisetta Closed FM 770

DAISETTA, May 7, 2008 - Wednesday morning a large sink hole developed in Daisetta on the property of DeLoach Vacuum Service on FM 770 just north of the Hull Daisetta High School.

The roadway starting in the lower left of this photo was level all the way back to the green tanks in the background of the photo. The dark brown ribbons of exposed earth running from left to right in the photo identify the location of crevasses. Click on photo for larger image.

Around midday the sinkhole had grown to cover an area of about 200 yards and was estimated to be at least 45 feet deep.

Click on photo for larger image.

Official with the Hull Daisetta ISD were on the scene speaking to emergency official to determine if schools would have to be closed for the day. The concern was that busses carrying students would not have a good way to take students home at the end of the day.

Pipe on the pipe racks in the lower right of this picture were level before the sinkhole formed. Now they are on the side of the hole and pipe was sliding off the racks.

The hole was located on the north side of the DeLoach Vacuum office building and was growing both deeper and wider as time went by. The edge of the hole was about 60 yards from the FM 770 on the west side of the highway.

FM 770 was closed in Daisetta and traffic was diverted onto old FM 834 through Hull. The road may be closed for some time so make plans to take and alternate route home this evening.