Emergency crews at sinkhole near Daisetta

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Massive sinkhole continues to grow near Daisetta
By CINDY HORSWELL

A massive sinkhole has formed behind a salt water disposal company near
Daisetta on Liberty County.

``It is getting bigger as we talk,''  Hardin volunteer firefighter Sean
Webb said this afternoon.

Emergency crews are on the scene. City officials estimate the size of
the hole at about 200 yards wide and as much as 100 feet deep in places
and was expected to be growing.

The sinkhole is behind the Deloach Vacuum Disposal Co., near the
intersection of FM 770 and FM 834.

The closest house is about 100 yards away. Officials from the
Environmental Protection Agency, Texas Commission on Environemental
Quality and the Texas Railroad Commission are on the site.

The cab of an abandoned 18-wheeler parked on the property slid into the
bottom of the sinkhole and some oil field equipment and tanks are being
threatened.

Emergency crews said a pipeline near the sinkhole has been shut down.
Two large storage tanks, located near the sinkhole, containing
petroleum products, were pumped out as a safety mesaure.

Officials had to sever a main power line to the facility because the
lines were being sucked into the hole and they were afraid the lines
would snap.

FM 770 has been closed to traffic and motorists are being diverted to
FM 834. The problem could affect school transportation this afternoon.

Daisetta, an old gas and oil production community, experienced another
sinkhole in September 1981, because of fluid that had been sucked from
the ground. That sinkhole  was 250 feet wide and up to 30 feet deep
and developed in an old oil field.

cindy.horswell@chron.com

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