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Sinkhole Opens Up In IHOP Parking Lot, Swallows Up 15 Cars As Diners Watch In Horror

By Tara West
Published on: 11:38 PST, Nov 8, 2015

A 600-foot long sinkhole opened up in an IHOP parking lot on Saturday night at the Meridian, Mississippi, location as diners watched in horror from inside. The sinkhole swallowed 15 cars, leaving a giant hole in its wake. Fortunately, it was only cars that were destroyed in the incident, and there have been no reports of injuries resulting from the sinkhole.

The Daily Mail reports that a large sinkhole opened up in the parking lot of a new IHOP. The sinkhole was 600-feet long and swallowed 15 cars that were parked in the lot as the diners ate inside. Those inside the restaurant say that they heard some loud booms, and then the ground just opened up and began to widen.

According to WTOK, police were called to the scene of the sinkhole at approximately 7:15 pm on Saturday night. The emergency responders were told that cars had fallen into the sinkhole but didn’t report any injuries from the disaster. However, 15 cars were consumed by the giant hole, and numerous witnesses say that a water line also ruptured as a result of the sinkhole.

Meridian Fire Department Chief Battalion Wayne Cook says that his unit responded to the call and that the initial concern was to keep people away from the area until the sinkhole was stabilized. Though the department would like to determine what caused the massive sink hole to open in the IHOP parking lot, Cook said the first priority was to rope off the area and ensure that no one fell into the large hole.

Cook says that an investigation is ongoing. However, some are blaming the high levels of rain over the past few days for the sinkhole. It was noted that Meridian, received three inches of rain over the weekend and a total of 10 inches over the past two weeks. Therefore, the water could have played a role in the sinkhole.

The IHOP restaurant had only just opened. In fact, the IHOP didn’t even make it a week before the massive sinkhole attempted to swallow its customers. Those inside of the IHOP at the time of the incident say that a series of loud booms could be heard just before the sinkhole took over. In fact, the booms were so loud and strong that an employee in the IHOP allegedly thought that they were experiencing an earthquake. Some patrons say the employee yelled “earthquake” and that confused patrons didn’t know what to do.

Similarly, a giant sinkhole opened up in September on an Australian beach. The sinkhole, like the IHOP sinkhole, swallowed up some vehicles. The Australian beach sinkhole eventually grew to the size of a football field and swallowed up a vehicle and camping trailer in the process. According to the Straits Times, no injuries were reported in the incident. However, people did lose a car, a caravan, and a trailer. According to eyewitness reports, there was panic and people were screaming when they started to realize that the sinkhole was expanding. Though no one was injured, the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Services (QWPS) confirmed that they rescued over 140 people from the vicinity of the sinkhole as it began to expand.

What do you think about the IHOP sinkhole? What would you do if you came outside and saw a 600-foot sinkhole had consumed your vehicle?

[Image via Facebook/ IHOP]

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