News 12 @ 6 o'clock -- January 29, 2009

JOHNSTON, S.C. --- The rush of water flowing from one side of Holmes Pond road to the other is one of the issues causing some sinking sand.

"It's really been hectic because of the sinkhole and a lot of people don't realize it but it takes away a lot of time when you're traveling," said Cybill Brown who lives on Holmes Pond Road. She knows first hand how important that travel time can be, especially when she thought she was having a heart attack. She says emergency crews were not aware of the closure and had to detour thirty minutes out of the way because they didn't know another route to her home. "When you think about life and death, thirty extra minutes means a lot," said Brown.

Just a few months ago this sinkhole was only a few feet deep. But now the hole's gotten so big, I'm literally in over my head.

And with a sinkhole growing so rapidly, causing the dirt to give way. There are a lot more problems that come along with it, like people having to drive at least 5 miles out of the way just to get where they want to go.

"It's really going out of my way. Sometimes I hate to come home from town to get something and have to go back. It gets aggravating," said Andrew Davis who lives on Holmes Pond Road.

Now as machines funnel the water from one side of the road to the other, hoping to ease the pressure on the already broken dam. The people who live there say they want to see the pump, the hole and the water gone.

"Instead of someone talking and coming out and looking at the situation, we need to start getting action...as of not today, but yesterday," said Brown.

SC DOT officials say the property owners are in charge of repairing the dam. They are only responsible for the actual roadway on Holmes Pond.They say all the costs to repair the actual sinkhole will be left up to the property owners.