Sinkholes force 11 families to leave homes at Fort Bragg

FORT BRAGG (AP) — Eleven military families at Fort Bragg are out of their homes after sinkholes forced them from their residences.

Officials say illegally buried construction debris caused the sinkholes. Fort Bragg spokesman Tom McCollum says another 59 families may have to move.

Picerne Military Housing is the company in charge of building and maintaining homes at Bragg. It said a subcontractor buried trees, bits of old homes and parts of appliances on land where new homes were eventually built.

Christine Hull is chief of Fort Bragg’s environmental compliance office. She said the debris made the ground too unstable to hold a home’s foundation.

The subcontractor — Palm Beach Grading — did not immediately return a call Friday seeking comment.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)