A sinkhole opened up underneath an Orange County home Tuesday, swallowing portions of tile and wood floors and forcing out the family.

  • Sinkhole opens up under Apopka home
  • Homeowners had survived Irma without much damage
  • Has lived in the home since 1969

The 20-foot-by-20-foot sinkhole tore apart walls, floor and windows behind the home and swallowed some items inside the Apopka home on West Kelly Park Road.

The homeowners, Garry and Ellen Miller, have lived in the home since 1969 and made it out of Hurricane Irma with no significant damage.

No injuries have been reported, Orange County Fire Rescue stated.

It began with creaking and cracking at about 6:30 p.m. Monday. Less than 18 hours later, the sinkhole had swallowed walls, windows and their entire bathroom.

Firefighters taped off the property and temporarily condemned the home for safety.

“This is the only home I know, and it’s the only home my kids know," said Ellen Miller, as tears began to well up in her eyes.

“It’s kind of numbing. I wasn’t sure what all the sounds were until I got up and saw the big huge cracks in the walls, just enormous. I knew the back of the house would have to go. It couldn’t stand up through it," she said.

“(There were) deep cracks in the bathroom, and the tub was sinking, and the window was coming loose. I said, 'It’s time to go,' " Miller said.

She made the difficult decision to evacuate at 4 a.m.

"It was scary. I couldn’t decide whether to stay in the house or find some place to go at 4 in the morning. But we packed up and went over to my daughter’s house," Miller said.

“The fire department came in and they helped us get a lot of stuff out," Garry Miller said. "Then neighbors and friends came by and helped us get a lot of the other stuff out."

However, for Ellen Miller, the most important keepsakes from the home are 48 years of memories.

“My babies, bringing my babies home," Ellen Miller said.

The Millers will be staying with family while they have an expert determine the next step for their property.