Massive sinkhole closes part of Wymore Road in Maitland, officials confirm

A large sinkhole, measuring over 40 feet in diameter, appeared overnight on Wymore Road, just north of Maitland Boulevard. This unexpected event has caused damage to vehicles and led to the closure of the road. The incident has raised concerns among residents and officials alike.

Demetria Houser, who drove into the sinkhole early Friday morning, shared her experience with local authorities. She described the moment she realized something was wrong. "I went in that sinkhole," Houser said. "I was scared, I called my daughter crying on the phone, saying I hit somebody." Initially, she thought she had hit someone due to the dark conditions in the area. "I hope they help me fix it because now my car is shaking," she added.

The city of Maitland responded by shutting down the affected stretch of Wymore Road. Orange County, which maintains the road, will be responsible for the repairs.

Robert Sargent, the public information officer for the city of Maitland, explained that the repairs will take time. "It is pretty sizable, so the repairs are going to take some time, so this is a detour that will likely remain for some time while the repairs are done," Sargent said. Officials noted that the sinkhole is now 40 feet north-to-south and 44 feet east-to-west.

Drivers are being directed to take alternative routes, such as Hope Road and Oranole Road, to reach Maitland Avenue while the sinkhole is under repair. Wymore Road is expected to remain closed in both directions through the weekend, with updates from the city of Maitland anticipated as the situation develops.

City officials are investigating the cause of the sinkhole, which may have been triggered by heavy rain earlier in the week. A survey is being conducted to determine the extent of the damage caused by the sinkhole.

Susan Jaffee, a resident of the Maitland Club neighborhood near the sinkhole, expressed concern. "It's really just on the other side. It's very close to my home," she said. Jaffee also recalled past sinkholes in the area, such as the one that created Lake Rose in Winter Park, which swallowed houses and cars. "I mean, it swallowed houses and cars and so it's kind of scary, but I mean, I'm sure it will be fine. They haven't told us to leave or anything," she added.

Early reports estimated the sinkhole at 20 feet in diameter, but Darrell Moody, with Orange County Public Works, mentioned that it had since doubled in size. "It's grown since I was last out here at 1:30 (p.m.). Nobody knows how much bigger it's going to get. It does have some room before it encroaches on that wall of the neighborhood and before it encroaches on the berm there along that FDOT retention pond," Moody said. He explained that work to repair the road cannot begin until the ground stabilizes. Ground-penetrating radar was used Friday to determine if there is a larger void beneath the sinkhole.

"If it stops growing over the weekend, they'll pull the asphalt out of the hole and try filling it with water and see if it holds," Moody said. He added, "If it holds water, then it's stable; we can begin repairs at that point."

WESH 2 asked Moody if there is concern for the homes nearby. "We really just don't know. I mean, do we think it's going to open up huge? No. But you never know. So it is growing and it is not stable and we can't begin the repairs or the backfill or any of that process until we have that," he said.

The city of Maitland stated on social media that the sinkhole appeared to show little to no growth as of Saturday morning. The county is expected to pull back the roadway asphalt on Monday and add water into the hole, according to the post. "If the hole holds the water, Orange County likely will make plans to fill in the area and to rebuild the road. Heavy equipment is already staged nearby to begin the work. There is no estimate how long construction will take," the city said.