I was three seconds from death after 70ft sinkhole gushing gas opened up on my doorstep – then I was forced from my home | The Sun
A MAN says he was three seconds from death after a 70 foot sinkhole appeared and started gushing out gas on his doorstep.
Harry Chadha was stood outside his Halesowen home when the ground started caving in beneath him.
The huge hole appeared in November and has meant residents haven't been allowed to return to collect belongings since.
Harry said he even had to break into his home to rescue his pet cat – who he thought he'd never see again.
He told the Express and Star: "I must have done something good somewhere because I should be dead.
"Three seconds earlier and I would have been a goner.
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"The sinkhole was 70 foot deep, I don’t think they would have ever found my body."
Despite gas leaking from the sinkhole, residents were told they could stay in their properties on the day it appeared.
However, when West Midlands Fire Service and gas officials visited the block of flats, they ordered an immediate evacuation.
Severn Trent have put the issue down to a collapsed sewer.
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Even though they're not accepting liability, the water supply company paid for alternative accommodation for eight families.
A spokesperson for Severn Trent said: "The sinkhole has appeared due to a damaged sewer pipe meaning the foundations of the building are very close to the pipe.
"This means it will be a complicated and complex repair with access issues, and will take time to complete.
"Severn Trent has stepped in to support the residents of Haden Arch since the end of November.
"Despite Severn Trent not being at fault, and as a gesture of goodwill, we have provided alternative accommodation for some of the residents, as this is clearly a distressing time for everyone, especially over the holidays."
What causes sinkholes?
Sinkholes usually form when water and other chemicals dissolve bedrocks such as limestone underneath the Earth's surface.
Eventually, the rock cannot support the surface any longer and it suddenly collapses inwards.
And even though sinkholes appear to form suddenly, usually the underlying causes of them have been brewing for some time.
However, there are human processes that can also cause the formation of sink holes.
Mines that are no longer in use can collapse and if sewers or pipes leak, they can cause water to leak and erosion of the bedrock underneath the ground.
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