Sinkhole sized at four football fields

DOVER, Ohio (NBC/ WKYC) - A massive sinkhole in Ohio has eaten away part of a state highway and now threatens nearby houses as well.

The sinkhole is estimated to be the size of four football fields.

This state highway has been badly damaged and will have to be closed for months while engineers figure out how best to repair it.

The sinkhole began as a pond on land where the Newton Asphalt company had been dredging for sand.

The Department of Transportation thinks the dredging may have eroded enough of the land near the pond to cause a collapse.

It happened so quickly, Newton employees had to run to the road to warn traffic the road had fallen in.

Experts think it could be well into 2013 before permanent repairs can be made.