UPDATE
A DISUSED, uncovered well is the likely cause of a sinkhole that swallowed a woman hanging washing in a Springvale South backyard.
The 45-year-old woman, who was assisting an elderly resident with household duties, was putting out washing when the ground under her collapsed.
She fell three metres down a hole less than a metre wide, landing into waist-high water.
She reportedly was stuck in the hole for at least 20 minutes until her screams alerted a nearby neighbour.
A Springvale CFA crew were the first of five crews on scene, hauling out the woman using rope.
Operations officer Paul Carrigg said the woman was uninjured though shaken by the “very unusual incident”.
A Greater Dandenong Council spokeswoman told the Journal: “I understand the sinkhole was an old well … which was never covered properly.
EARLIER
By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
A THREE-metre-deep sinkhole has opened under a woman hanging out washing in a Springvale South backyard this morning.
Paramedic Stephanie Palamberis said the woman had escaped injury, after the ground gave way under her about 11.30am.
“She fell with the dirt and mud, dropping about three metres and landing in waist deep water. At one stage her head was under the water.
“The woman told us she couldn’t touch the bottom of the hole, so was trying to swim and stay afloat, to avoid the risk of further mud collapses.”
About 30 minutes later, a neighbour heard the stricken woman’s screams and called triple-zero.
A CFA spokeswoman said the woman was rescued by five CFA crews – with the help of a MFB trench rescue unit – within 15 minutes.
The cause of the sinkhole was not yet known.
