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25-Foot Wide Sinkhole Opens In Newberry

A 25-foot wide sinkhole opened this morning on the west side of Newberry.

One lane of State Road 26 is closed  near the turn for SW 266th Street. An underground water pipe burst, causing erosion and triggering the collapse.

Alachua County Sheriff's Office deputies were on scene to direct traffic as the road repair began. Newberry city commissioner Rick Coleman said the sinkhole came close to taking out the city's main power lines.

"They're adding dirt over by the power poles so they don't fall over," he said, "(because) then we would lose all power in Newberry."

City officials issued a boil water notice for people on city water living west of SW 260th Street. The road repair is expected to take 24 to 48 hours.

Mari is a reporter for WUFT News and can be reached at 352-392-6397 or news@wuft.org.