Road collapse isolates senior community in Palm Bay after heavy rains

PALM BAY, Fla. - A road collapse in a Palm Bay senior community left about 120 residents temporarily isolated Wednesday after heavy rain caused a failing underground pipe to give way, officials and residents said.

The collapse occurred along Turkey Creek Drive near U.S. 1, the only road providing access to and from the neighborhood.

The backstory:

City crews were at the scene examining a large sinkhole where a section of roadway had caved in. Workers said the damaged area continued to expand as they investigated the failure.

Residents said metal plates had covered the roadway for some time because of concerns about a deteriorating pipe beneath the surface. According to officials, the pipe failed during heavy rainfall Wednesday morning, causing the road to collapse.

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The closure effectively trapped residents inside the community, which has a single entrance and exit. Local authorities said they planned to conduct door-to-door welfare checks to ensure residents were aware of the situation and to identify anyone needing assistance.

Officials said a police boat and several golf carts were on standby in case residents experienced medical emergencies and required transportation.

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The collapse has also renewed a dispute over responsibility for repairs. 

Residents said concerns about the roadway had been raised previously and questioned who would pay for the work because the road is located within a homeowners' association community.

"We knew this was coming," one resident said. "Now the battle is, who's going to pay for it."

As of Wednesday evening, officials had not announced how long repairs would take or when normal access to the community would be restored.