PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - A Portland official says a 20-foot-deep backyard sinkhole that temporarily trapped a southeast Portland homeowner and her Newfoundland puppy is a century-old cesspool.
Firefighters rescued Kelly Ryan and her dog unharmed Tuesday night from muck at the bottom of the 3-foot-wide pit after the two fell in while walking in the dark yard. Her house was built in 1907.
The Oregonian reports (https://is.gd/D1cVS6 ) that fire crews and crews from the city’s Bureau of Development Services inspected the pit Wednesday.
Bureau spokesman Ross Caron says how and why the sinkhole appeared are questions for the homeowner. He says old cesspools can be “decommissioned” or filled with gravel and sand once homeowners get a permit.
The newspaper said it wasn’t immediately clear whether recent heavy rains or recent sewage line work done for Ryan and her neighbor might have played a role in the collapse.
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Information from: The Oregonian, https://www.oregonlive.com
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