Massive sinkhole in Florida swallows Jeffrey Bush

Seffner, FL, United States (4E) – A 36-year-old Seffner, Florida man is believed to have died after a 30ft wide and 20ft-deep (6m) sinkhole swallowed up his bedroom in his house.

The man is identified as Jeffrey Bush.

Recalling the incident, his brother Jeremy Bush told rescue men that he heard his brother calling for help after a loud crash near midnight on Thursday.

He said that he ran to help his brother and jumped into the hole but could not find him. The neighbors later pulled him back as the sinkhole continued to widen.

Jeffrey Bush’s brother Jeremy told rescue crews he heard a loud crash near midnight on Thursday, then his brother screaming for help. He said he jumped into the hole but couldn’t see his brother.

“The floor was still giving in and the dirt was still going down, but I didn’t care. I wanted to save my brother,” he said, recalling that he heard his brother calling his name for help.

Hillsborough County’s fire chief Ron Rogers said that sinkholes, which form on the surface due to water erosion in the caverns, are common in some parts of Florida.

“We don’t know how stable the house is,” Rogers said, adding that the officials established a 100ft-wide safety zone amid fears that the sinkhole might be growing.

The official added that they have evacuated neighbors from both sides of the affected home.

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