Sinkhole in Northeast Philly in need of attention: 'I shouldn’t have to call the media to get help'

PHILADELPHIA - A seemingly small problem outside a Northeast Philadelphia home is causing big concern for the property owners.

Already hobbling in a walking boot from a broken ankle and expecting a houseful of guests for the Christmas holiday, the last thing Kimberly Miller and her boyfriend needed was a sinkhole in their front yard on the 2000 block of Tomlinson Road.

"I was like what the heck?" said Miller when she discovered the small sinkhole around Thanksgiving near the base of her driveway.  

Since then, the hole has been steadily growing underground and getting deeper with recent rainfall. 

"I said this has got to go. There is something going on here. I was all set to get dirt and cover it up until I realized how deep it was" said homeowner Mike McGurk.

The hole only looks about two feet wide from the street.  But a closer look inside reveals a cavernous hole below the concrete driveway at least 3 foot deep and no one knows how wide.

"It goes all the way down here; this is where they think the problem is" said Miller, pointing to a sewer manhole cover on the other side of her driveway. She’s worried about a sudden collapse.

Miller tells FOX 29 she’s been on the phone for hours over the past several days trying to get answers. She says she contacted the City’s 311 system, the Streets and Water Departments, City Councilmember Brian O’Neill's office and even local Congressman Brendan Boyle’s representatives before contacting FOX 29. 

She says a Construction Project Technician from the Streets Department said he would respond in a few days with answers. She’s still waiting.

The former Catholic nun is praying for answers before someone walking or driving by gets hurt. 

"The thing is, I am actually willing to pay for it. I just need someone to come out and tell me what it is" said Miller.

In an email to FOX 29, Philadelphia Water Department Assistant Deputy Commissioner Laura Copeland wrote "We don’t have any record of a report in our system, so we are sending out an inspector to investigate tomorrow (Thursday) morning"    

FOX 29 is still awaiting a response from the Streets Department.

As rain started to fall Wednesday night the couple’s driveway is off limits until they figure out how it gets fixed.  

They’re hoping is to have it figured out by Christmas Day.

"I just need this to be fixed. You shouldn’t have to go through all of this. I shouldn’t have to call the media to get help" said Miller.