Sinkhole grows in Leetonia

Staff report

LEETONIA

A hole is growing slowly on Pine Street between High Street and Main Street.

Butch Donnalley, Leetonia’s superintendent of public works, and Gary E. Phillips, the village administrator, are trying to figure out why the hole developed Thursday morning.

Phillips estimated that the hole is 15 feet wide from north to south and about 20 feet wide east to west.

The problem now is that part of the pavement that is several inches thick is hanging over the lip of the hole with no support.

Phillips said that the hole is gradually moving toward the east.

It’s not yet known if the problem is related to the area’s past mining history.

A crew from a private, statewide company did test borings Friday, Saturday and Sunday, according to Tim Jackson, a spokesman for Ohio’s Abandoned Mine Lands division, a division of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

Jackson said that the boring at the sinkhole “hit solid rock” along with clay, silt, and washed sand or gravel.

Phillips said he is awaiting the test results from the state before taking any action.

Donnalley said he has heard tales of miners who would remove veins of coal. The ground above was held up with posts of coal.

When the miners were almost done, they would yank out the last pieces.

“Depending on what company was doing the mining, they would take the last bit of coal,” he said Monday.

There is a natural gas line a few feet away from the hole that could become a problem if the hole expands, Phillips said.

Paula Pahanish and her family live a few feet from the hole. She said, “All I want is no interruption of our utilities.”