SPOKANE--A west Spokane family is concerned for their safety after their child fell into a growing sinkhole in their yard.
The hole is in the backyard of a home near Government Way and 5th.
4-year-old Rocky was playing outside several weeks ago when the ground opened up underneath him. That’s when his mother, Misty Rupp, discovered a hole.
Property manager Robert Zink checked it out. He and Rupp discovered a large pipe with a void underneath it.
They called city offices. The Water Department came out and looked at it, but because it’s a water pipe it’s not their responsibility. Zink says he got a similar response from the Wastewater Department on the phone.
KREM2 called the Wastewater Department Thursday. A supervisor told us she was unaware of the hole and quickly came out with a crew to look at it.
Officials say the pipe also did not appear to be put there by the department. They suspect a past property owner many years ago may have built something underground.
Slabs of wood were seen covering the pipe. When the wood rotted away it collapsed, causing a hole to open up.
The property manager is working on getting the hole filled.
