The Latest: United Way raising money for sinkhole victims

LAND O’LAKES, Fla. – The Latest on a sinkhole that swallowed two houses in Florida (all times local):

9:55 a.m.

The United Way is starting a fund to help homeowners affected by a massive sinkhole that swallowed two houses in Florida.

Alex Delgado of the United Way of Pasco County said during a news conference on Monday that the agency is raising money to help the families who lived in the two homes that were destroyed and nearby homes where residents are still displaced following Friday’s sinkhole.

Delgado says donations can be made through the agency’s website, unitedwaypasco.org, or by texting SINKHOLE to 41444.

County assistant administrator Kevin Guthrie says renters lived in the two destroyed homes and neither had renter’s insurance. He called their loss “catastrophic.”

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7:29 a.m.

Emergency management officials will collect water samples to test for E.coli on Monday in the immediate neighbourhood where a sinkhole swallowed two homes in Florida.

Additional residents in the area — where many people use wells — can have their water tested for a fee.

Pasco County officials said in a news release that families from four of the homes that were initially evacuated were allowed to return Saturday evening. Five other homes are still deemed unsafe for occupancy.

The sinkhole opened up Friday morning and grew to 225 feet (68 metres) in diameter and 50 feet (15 metres) deep, taking with it the two homes and a boat. No one was injured.

The scene is being considered a hazardous materials incident because of possible septic tank issues and building debris.