A giant sinkhole opened up on a residential street in England on Thursday.
A 66-foot-wide by 33-foot-deep sinkhole opened on a residential street in England.
Read: Five People Get Swallowed Up By Sinkhole As They Wait For Bus
Hertfordshire County Council said five homes in St. Albans had to be evacuated and 20 people were taken to a nearby sports center for shelter.
According to reports, residents heard a crash before the huge crater in the ground appeared out of nowhere.
A Hertfordshire County Council spokesman said: "We were informed about a hole in the footpath last week. It was inspected and barriers put around it on Monday. Work was scheduled to fill it in this morning. Following our inspection, there was no reason to suspect that the hole would collapse."
Here is a picture of the sinkhole we attended. pic.twitter.com/PrE2hPFuPI
— Herts Fire Control (@HertsFRSControl) October 1, 2015
A resident told the BBC that a post office employee was seen stepping into the smaller hole that had previously been reported to the council.
“My wife saw the local postman pulling himself pretty much out of the hole and dusting himself down. He was rolling around on the street looking quite badly injured,” said the resident.
Fifty-two homes in the area are without gas, electricity and water.
Read: Bus Falls Into Massive Sinkhole, Swept Away in Flood Waters
The spokesmen for the council said that it will be at least two weeks before things can return to normal and that all agencies in the area are working to support the residents affected.
Watch Below: Mom Charged After Children Found Living in Crate at Underground Cave
