2 homes damaged by Fraser sinkhole demolished

FRASER, Mich. – Crews worked Friday to demolish two homes in Fraser that were condemned after they were severely damaged by a sinkhole in December.

You can get a live look at the Fraser sinkhole site in the stream posted above. The Fraser sinkhole live cam also is available here

The sinkhole formed on Dec. 24, 2016. Twenty families were forced out of their homes on Christmas Eve.

Macomb County Public Works Commissioner Candice Miller says this demolition is just phase one of what will be a long process.

“We’ve been building this long term bypass that’s a parallel pipe on 15 Mile Road and hopefully in the next couple weeks, we will be able to actually stop the flow of sewage,” Miller said. “We are moving very, very quickly here.”

The county expects an inspection report to come in the next couple of months to determine whether or not even more work needs to be done.

“We’re going to make sure we understand what we’re dealing with and the community can’t go through this a third time,” Miller said.

Both homes were demolished by noon.

WATCH: Time-lapse video shows Fraser sinkhole house demolition

“This is a huge step in progress today once this comes down I think it begins the healing for the people in Fraser,” Fraser Mayor Joe Nichols said.

Watch the update from noon on demolition day below:

What happened

Crews have been working around the clock since the drain interceptor collapsed Dec. 24 beneath a neighborhood along 15 Mile Road near Utica Road. The collapse forced families from their homes and eventually sent sewage into the Clinton River. 

The sinkhole showed its first signs of the impending environmental damage to follow on Christmas Eve when the Albu family began hearing cracking noises from the foundation of their home.

The situation unfolded during a 911 call made by the Albu's: “Uh, yeah, I think our house is going to fall.  I'm sorry?"

"What do you mean you think your house is going to fall,” the dispatcher replies.

First signs of trouble

Elizabeth Marentette grew up in what’s left of her home in Fraser. The home is in a neighborhood where she and 21 other families were given only minutes to evacuate.

The next day, it was determined that an 11-foot sewage pipe cracked and was leaking raw sewage underneath the Fraser neighborhood. 

Here's a short video explaining the collapse of the pipe: 

MORE: 11 communities to foot bill for Fraser sinkhole fix

The fix for the interceptor is reportedly around $80 million. 

Watch "Fraser sinkhole: The ticking time bomb of Macomb County" here: 


About the Authors:

Derick is the Lead Digital Editor for ClickOnDetroit and has been with Local 4 News since April 2013. Derick specializes in breaking news, crime and local sports.

Koco joined the Local 4 News team in September of 2016. She was born and raised in Metro Detroit, attended Central Michigan University, and previously worked at WOOD-TV in Grand Rapids.