Staten Island is sinking

From CBS New York:

It’s gone from bad to worse for some storm-weary Staten Island residents who are trying to rebuild after Hurricane Sandy.

Now, they’re coping with a sinkhole nightmare. And as CBS 2’s Steve Langford reported Tuesday, not even insurance coverage may help.

On the recently renovated ground floor of Diane Spoto’s Sandy-battered home, there’s a sinkhole.

“According to the engineer, he said the floor could collapse if not fixed properly,” Spoto said.

Beyond the obvious fear that her home might cave in, Spoto said she’s getting stuck with the repair bill.

“This one is from FEMA, which you can see personal property total grant zero, and the other letter is from Allstate, which is also a denial,” Spoto said.

The estimate to repair the sinkhole is $12,000, money Spoto said she and her husband no longer have after struggling to pay to repair their flooded home.

There’s no telling how many homes in the Sandy-ravaged neighborhoods may have developed sinkholes without their owners knowing.

Engineering expert Joseph Pasaturo said in his experience insurance doesn’t cover sinkholes.