Sinkhole forces closure of Malloy Bridge Rd.

FERRIS – A large sinkhole opened Friday morning in Dallas County, shutting down Malloy Bridge Rd.

Dallas County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a traffic hazard in the 1300 block of Malloy Bridge Rd. after a caller reported a large hole in the road in the southeast part of the county.

Deputies found a portion of the road measuring 10 feet long had caved in, creating a 30-foot deep hole, the sheriff’s office wrote on Facebook.

Officers blocked the road between Parkinson Road and Cook Road, according to the post. 

It is unclear when it will reopen.

Sinkholes occur when the ground below the surface can no longer support the land, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. 

Typically, they form so slowly that little change is noticeable, but they can appear suddenly when a collapse occurs.

Sinkholes are not uncommon in Texas.

Last year, a massive sinkhole in the town of Daisetta, near Houston, began growing after being dormant for 15 years.

It first appeared in 2008, swallowing oil tanks and several cars. It reached 900 feet wide and 260 feet deep.