Sinkhole appears in garden after old mine collapses in UK

A sinkhole appeared at the garden of a residence after an old mine beneath collapsed.

The sinkhole opened in Camborne, a town located in Cornwall, United Kingdom and revealed a mine that was operational about 2 centuries ago. "Date-wise, I would suggest it would be from the late 1700s into the early 1800s," Dale Foster, a Senior Mining Geologist in the United Kingdom, stated.

According to local residences, the sinkhole emerged on February 17, 2020, when a tree collapsed during a heavy storm. The size of the hole appears to have increased steadily day by day; it has now reached a depth of around 10 meters covering a 35 square meter area consisting of private properties and a road. “It was a meter by a meter to begin with but each day it gets bigger. Now it’s huge," Sam Hall, a local whose house is very close to the sinkhole, said.

The causes of the failure are under investigation by experts. Foster stated that the ground failure was caused by a number of factors. He mentioned that heavy rainfalls that preceded the failure probably saturated the ground, while the fallen tree added an extra load. It is not yet determined whether the support of the mine shaft collapsed or the failure was associated purely with soil movement.

Officials stated that the ground failure has caused electricity problems and has damaged the water pipe network. 

Mr. Hall added that he is concerned about the situation which he describes as "... a bit of a nightmare to be honest". 

Authorities have restricted access to the area. The Cornwall council has installed a fence around the sinkhole to prevent any accidents. "Regular inspections are being undertaken to ensure the fencing is correctly positioned, and to review the condition of the collapse," a Cornwall Council spokesman, stated.

Officials reported that they have contacted the person legally associated with the mineral rights to organize the repairs that need to be implemented.

Click the video below to watch footage from the site.