What was just a hayfield a few days ago..is suddenly a gaping hole and a possible threat to traffic on a main highway.
State geologists are working to stop a spreading sinkhole that has opened near highway 127 north of Pikeville.
HOYT NEAL, FARMER "Well, I'd rather not see it..because it hit right at my hayfield..ha ha...hope it don't get no bigger."
That's what Tennessee Department of Transportation workers are also hoping.
But so far, the suddenly-there sinkhole is 14 feet wide, 17 feet across and 23 feet deep.
SAM WILLIAMS, TDOT GEOLOGIST "More than likely its part of a cave system that's flowing from the mountain behind us..heading toward the Sequatchie River."
That big hole is about 25 yards off U.S. 127, but as it grows, its moving that way. For now, the road is safe, and TDOT plans to keep it that way.
SAM WILLIAMS, TDOT GEOLOGIST "What we'll do is add course rock at the bottom to let water flow through..as we come up we'll add smaller and smaller rock to choke off the soils that will come in on top of it..as we bring it all the way up."
Sam Williams says recent rains probably contributed to the development of the sinkhole, but this entire area in the Sequatchie Valley is prone to have them for the last thousand years or so.
A big one was filled 7 years ago.
The work crew will put up warning signs and tape to keep people back from the edge.
Williams says it still unstable and dangerous.
SAM WILLIAMS "Somebody been standing here...if somebody been nearby, they could have ended-up in this hole."
TDOT says it hopes to stabilize the area by Friday, and the hole filled by Monday.
Williams says it could take 10 to 20 truck-loads of rock to do the job.
