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Rescuers Give Up on Sinkhole Victim

Jeffrey Bush was sucked into cavity under his house

By Neal Colgrass,  Newser Staff

Posted Mar 2, 2013 5:45 PM CST

(Newser) – Rescuers have called off the search for a Florida man who was sucked into a sinkhole under his bedroom late Thursday night, the AP reports. Officials said they plan to destroy the home of 37-year-old Jeffrey Bush and ordered the next-door neighbors to move out before the sinkhole drags them down too. "At this point it's really not possible to recover the body," said a county administrator. He added that "we're dealing with a very unusual sinkhole."

With reporters, onlookers, and engineers buzzing around the quiet street in a suburb east of Tampa, the next-door neighbors cried as they packed boxes. They had been allowed a half-hour to take belongings since being evacuated yesterday. The victim's brother, Jeremy Bush, wept as he lay a stuffed animal and flowers near the house this morning. He said someone came to check for sinkholes a couple of months ago—probably for insurance reasons—but found nothing. "And a couple of months later, my brother dies," said Jeremy. "In a sinkhole."

Jeremy Bush places flowers and a stuffed animal at a makeshift memorial in front of a home where his brother Jeffrey died in a sinkhole in Seffner, Fla. on Saturday, March 2, 2013.
Jeremy Bush places flowers and a stuffed animal at a makeshift memorial in front of a home where his brother Jeffrey died in a sinkhole in Seffner, Fla. on Saturday, March 2, 2013.   (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
This undated photo provided by Jeremy Bush shows Jeff Bush.
This undated photo provided by Jeremy Bush shows Jeff Bush.   (AP Photo/Jeremy Bush, HO)
Engineers cross in front of a home, where a sinkhole opened up underneath a bedroom late Thursday evening and swallowed a man, in Seffner, Fla. on Saturday, March 2, 2013.
Engineers cross in front of a home, where a sinkhole opened up underneath a bedroom late Thursday evening and swallowed a man, in Seffner, Fla. on Saturday, March 2, 2013.   (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 19 comments
right2dave
Mar 3, 2013 4:35 AM CST
I had a roommate once that a fat girl friend. Samething happened to him one night.She showed up and work but we never heard from him again.
K.KRANK
Mar 3, 2013 3:07 AM CST
Poor guy. If this was another Bush I might be inclined to feel less pity for him :(
Scaramouche
Mar 2, 2013 11:45 PM CST
I don't call many things terrifying, but the ground opening up and swallowing your bed certainly qualifies.
 

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