Gurgling toilet led plumber to discover cavern underneath road in Cinco Ranch, officials say
FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- A road collapse was avoided after a plumber working on a malfunctioning toilet at a Cinco Ranch home discovered an issue much bigger than the gurgling commode, according to the Fort Bend County Precinct 1 Constable's Office.
Officials said a partial road closure at the intersection of Mason Road and Westheimer Parkway on Tuesday afternoon was necessary after a "large void" was reported underneath the northwest corner of the intersection. They added that crews were working to fix the issue quickly.
The constable's office told ABC13 that a roadway collapse could have happened if the void hadn't been discovered earlier, adding that a plumber working at a nearby home traced an issue with the homeowner's toilet to the sewer line under the intersection.
The constable's office said crews are investigating how dirt got into the sewer line and how long it will take to fix the issue.
SkyEye was over the scene where two holes were seen next to an open manhole located between the roadway and the sidewalk. Crews were seen around the hole, and traffic was being redirected away from the incident.
Officials said that southbound Mason Road and westbound Westheimer Parkway were closed, but the rest of the intersection would remain open.
In a post on social media, Constable Chad Norvell said the closure would remain for at least a week while crews investigate what exactly happened.
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