Large hole opens in Orange County neighborhood, forcing families from homes

Published August 27, 2026 6:30 PM EDT

An Orange County homeowner returned from work Wednesday to find emergency crews surrounding a large hole in his front yard.

Firefighters say the hole was 10 feet by 10 feet, prompting a temporary evacuation of families while officials assessed the ground stability.

Shocking discovery

What they're saying:

Homeowner Robert Tolliver was at work on Wednesday when he received a text message from his son about their front lawn.

"I came home to a massive crowd and fire department and a huge hole in my yard," Tolliver said.

Where solid ground once stood, firefighters were inspecting a 10-foot by 10-foot hole. Officials confirmed the hole is in the storm drain line.

Tolliver says street flooding in his neighborhood isn't unusual during severe weather.

"Big storms, yeah, we know it will flood for a little bit," Tolliver said. "I know that we had some issues before—some storm drain damage on the other side of the neighborhood—so I figured it was that."

Precautionary evacuations

What's next:

Two households were displaced out of precaution, and officials say they should be allowed back soon. County utility crews are working to make sure the main water was not impacted by this.

The Source: This story was written based on information shared by homeowner Robert Tolliver and Orange County.

Orange County News