Homeowner looks for help with sinkhole, says its become game of ‘hot potato’ with city officials

ST. LOUIS – A sinkhole is forcing a family out of their south city home.

“We’re at the point where we don’t feel safe in the house anymore,” homeowner James Miller said.

Miller filed a report with the Citizens Services Bureau back on July 21 about the sinkhole. Since moving in earlier in the year, he says the sinkhole has swallowed up his yard, the sidewalk in front of his home, and a portion of the street.

“The first people to respond was MSD. I saw a big truck out here; people were doing stuff. Thankfully someone’s here and then said, ‘Oh, nope. We did a dye test and it’s all good; it’s not our problem,’ The hot potato game started back then,” he added.

After FOX 2 reported on the sinkhole earlier this month, Miller heard back from his alderwoman, but hasn’t seen much change since then.

“In this case, we had to have MSD send a camera so that we could do a scope analysis to figure out where the lateral issue was. The scope deemed that the lateral issue is underneath the property. So it falls on the portion that would be the ownership’s responsibility,” Alderwoman Alisha Sonnier (Ward 4) said.

While the battle continues over who is going to pay for the repairs, the sinkhole has brought some new friends.

“We started hearing scratching up in the rest of the house,” Miller said. “The exterminator said that the rodents in the house are probably a direct cause from the gap in here. That the sinkhole has stirred up, the mice are coming in through the basement, coming into the house looking for water and food.”

While Miller loves his neighborhood and doesn’t want to leave, he doesn’t know what else to do.

“Right now we’re just in the dark. It’s radio silence, and it’s not comfortable. I want to protect my family—this is not protecting my family,” he said.

Alderwoman Sonnier encourages anyone with issues to file a report here .

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