Sinkhole problem in NW Indiana divided among 3 cities

DYER, Ill. (WLS) -- A sinkhole is growing into a monster of a problem in northwest Indiana and Sunday night as mystery remains as to just whose problem it is to fix.

It measures about 40 feet wide and at its deepest 30 feet deep. Thanks to Saturday's rain, Frank and Letitia Casto's northwest Indiana backyard is now a huge sink hole.

"It just keep dropping and swallowing trees and this is where we are at," Letitia Casto said.

Where they are at is much different than where they began before the rain. The sink hole used to be about 4 feet wide and 6 feet deep. It has been a problem since the Casto's moved in to their town home four years ago.

"I called city, they filled it with rock and covered with grass," Letitia Casto said.

"We've been complaining to different people at this all this time, everybody keeps ignoring," said Frank Caso. "It could have been a little problem; it is turned into a monster at this point."

Aside from the enormity of the sink hole, the biggest problem is who is responsible for it, the Casto's happen to live right on the border of three Indiana towns.

The sinkhole sits on an easement adjacent to the Casto's property line. One half of their town home is in Dyer, the other half is in Schererville, Munster is across the street. Sewer pipes, gas and electrical lines underneath the sink hole are shared by all three municipalities.

"They were throwing it back and forth and no one would take responsibility for it and that's what I got at this point," said Letitia Casto

All three towns are sending out engineers Monday. Until then, it is another sleepless night for the Castos as the growing sink hole is now about 20 feet from their backdoor.