Second Sinkhole appears in Florida, Gaping Hole Opens Just Miles From Original Deadly Sinkhole

A second sinkhole has appeared in the Tampa area, just miles away from the one that appeared beneath Seffner native Jeff Bush's home last week, swallowing the area man and his bed.

The newest sinkhole appeared between two homes and does not appear to be dangerous. The latest hole has a circumference of 12 feet and is 5 feet deep in the center. Hillsborough County authorities say that the two sinkholes are not related.

"It is not geologically connected," Hillsborough County spokesman Willie Puz said.

Last Thursday night a 30 foot crater opened up under Bush's bedroom. The whole is 60 feet deep and filled with clay and debris. It is unlikely that Bush's body will ever be recovered.

Two houses near the original sinkhole have been evacuated. The ground beneath their homes was compromised by the seismic event. According to the Christian Science Monitor, Hillsborough County Fire Rescue member Jessica Damico said that it is unlikely that the residents will ever be allowed inside these homes again.

Demolition crews destroyed what was left of Bush's house in order to begin efforts to stabilize the sinkhole. Engineers have placed listening devices, ground penetrating radar and other equipment around the expanding sinkhole to determine a safe distance around the hole. The engineers also used the devices to listen for signs of life from Bush. No such signs were detected.

Before demolition workers removed several family heirlooms, photos and military metals. They also collected Bush's jacket and hat from the site.

Jeremy Bush, brother of the presumed deceased Jeff Bush, said that his family plans to hold a memorial service near the site.

Sinkholes are a relatively regular occurrence in Florida. The phenomenon is due to the porous nature of the soft mineral limestone that makes up a large portion of the state's geological bedrock. Limestone dissolves quickly in the presence of acidic rain water forming underground caverns. When these caverns collapse, the topsoil loses its support and crashes down into the earth.