National Park Service says sinkhole at White House poses no threat

The National Park Service (NPS) said Friday that a sinkhole that opened up on the White House lawn this week poses no threat to the building or personnel.

In a statement, NPS spokeswoman Jenny Anzelmo-Sarles said that the agency had completed its investigation of the sinkhole, which first appeared Tuesday morning.

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“@NatlParkService has completed excavation around White House sinkhole. We will plug with concrete, fill excavated area, and resod. Excavation confirmed it poses no risk to @WhiteHouse. DC has had more than double average May rainfall. Sinkholes are common following heavy rain,” she tweeted.

@NatlParkService has completed excavation around White House sinkhole. We will plug with concrete, fill excavated area, and resod. Excavation confirmed it poses no risk to @WhiteHouse. DC has had more than double average May rainfall. Sinkholes are common following heavy rain. pic.twitter.com/FrHb9WmGJl

— Jenny A-S NPS (@NPSJennyAS) May 25, 2018

The hole, which grew larger by the day until it was excavated by Park Service personnel, was cordoned off to prevent foot traffic from injuries. Reporters began sharing photos of the sinkhole earlier this week on Twitter.

This week I’ve been observing a sinkhole on the @WhiteHouse North Lawn, just outside the press briefing room, growing larger by the day. pic.twitter.com/BsFUtxFqpB

— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) May 22, 2018

According to Anzelmo-Sarles, the final size of the hole was “six to eight inches in diameter, which was likely caused by recent heavy rains which eroded the soil.”

The incident occurred just days after a larger 4-foot-by-4-foot sinkhole opened in front of President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.