Expand / Collapse search
☰

Massive sinkhole consumes DeKalb County backyard, homeowners waiting on county

By
Published  August 30, 2022 11:03pm EDT
Tucker
FOX 5 Atlanta

Homeowners concerned about growing sinkhole

Residents in one DeKalb County neighborhood say a massive sinkhole has consumed their backyard and it’s only getting bigger. Fox 5’s Joi Dukes has more on their frustration and what public works officials in DeKalb are doing to address the issue.

TUCKER, Ga. - A massive sinkhole in DeKalb County leaves a homeowner concerned for her safety, her home and her property's value.

"This is our number one investment, this is our largest investment right? This is all we have," said Brandy Graham, the homeowner.

Graham is a resident of Tucker in DeKalb County. She says her family has lived in this home on Midvale Lane for 16 years and never had any problems. But earlier this year, they noticed cracks throughout their driveway and around the back of their home.

"We were kind of concerned and my son said you should probably come and look at the back yard so we went, we came down to the back yard and we noticed what looks like a sinkhole," said Graham.

That was about six months ago. Now Graham says it’s growing in size. And so are her concerns.

"It is affecting my patio, my walk way, I believe my foundation is affected," said Graham. "Is it safe for me to be here? Should I be here? I don’t know. I don’t know." 

She tells FOX 5 when she and her husband reported it in March, crews with DeKalb County came out and put up caution tape. That was it, until she sent a video to county officials and FOX 5. 

Public Works Director Rick Lemke explained that the sinkhole looks to be the result of a failed drainage pipe. At the time of her initial complaint, he says the property was much lower on the county’s priority list.

"We have other situations throughout the county that were worse. Obviously with the intense rains that we’ve  had and some of the storms it’s continued to deteriorate at a rate more rapid than what we were expecting," said Rick Lemke, Director of DeKalb County Public Works.

Contractors with the county came out Monday and Tuesday to assess the issue. DeKalb County Commissioner Robert Patrick also came out to let the homeowners know their concerns are being heard. 

"DeKalb County is taking a look at it. We do have staff that are working as I said to get the property ready for construction to see what we can do to fix the issue," said Patrick.

DeKalb County officials are still working to determine what may have caused the drainage pipe to fail. They say they won’t know for sure until they start digging.