Man mowing his lawn discovers 7-10-foot hole

[April 25, 2008]  CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) -- A Cedar Rapids man mowing his lawn has stumbled into a big hole -- but the origin is a mystery. Rick Thompson discovered the hole on Wednesday. He says the grass seemed a little soft in that spot, and he blamed it on the rain. Then his leg sank up to his calf. He grabbed the lawn mower to stop himself from sinking any more.

Thompson started digging around the hole, which turned out to be 7- to 10-feet deep, with water and rusty pipes in the bottom.

Thompson's wife, Sharon, called the city, but even with expert help, no one could solve the mystery. She says some think it could be a well or an old septic tank.

The Thompsons have blocked off the area until they can hire someone to remove the pipes and fill up the hole.

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Information from: The Gazette, http://www.gazetteonline.com/

[Associated Press]

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