Cave-In Swallows Up 12 Cars Outside Restaurant

The ground gave way outside a restaurant in Meridian, Mississippi  leaving a 15-foot-deep hole in the car park. Authorities are working to establish the cause of a cave-in which swallowed 12 cars in Mississippi.

Nobody was injured when the ground gave way outside a restaurant in Meridian late on Saturday. A sinkhole usually occurs when an underground water aquifer dries and leaves a void in the ground.

Engineers and contractors are due at the scene today. A scene such as this could usually be said to be a sinkhole -a hole that appears in the ground when water below dries, leaving a void - however local public safety director Buck Roberts confirmed this was not the case. "You can call it what you want, a cave-in or whatever, but it is not a sinkhole," he said. 

Meridian Fire Department Chief Battalion Wayne Cook said: "We received a call earlier this evening of a sinkhole opening up at the new IHOP restaurant."Upon arrival, we found multiple vehicles in the ditch. "At this time, we are trying to stabilize this and keep everyone away."