ORLANDO, FL — A new engineering report says a sinkhole under part of the Rialto Apartments in Orlando caused the building to slowly sink, helping explain why nearly 200 families were forced out in March.
The findings add detail to a chaotic evacuation that began after residents reported cracking, popping sounds and doors that would not open. Orange County Fire Rescue said crews arrived to signs of structural instability and had to force open one resident’s door before evacuating the building.
The question now is whether the apartment complex can ever reopen. Officials with Rialto have said the property has helped almost all of the displaced families pack up and move, but at least one lawsuit remains unresolved.
How the evacuation began after residents heard popping and saw cracks
The alarm was raised in March when a resident called fire rescue and said she could not open her front door. She also reported hearing popping noises that made her fear the building was collapsing.
When Orange County Fire Rescue reached the complex, crews found clear signs that the structure was not stable. That initial assessment led responders to force open the resident’s door and start getting people out of the building.
About 200 families were awakened and ordered to leave as the situation unfolded. The evacuation turned a single apartment emergency into a major displacement event for residents inside the complex.
Inspectors found cracking and a gap beneath the structure
News 6 later learned that inspectors identified serious cracking at the building and a large gap beneath part of the structure. Those findings lined up with what residents and first responders were already seeing on the ground.
The new engineering report goes a step further by tying the damage to a sinkhole under two sections of the building. According to the report, the sinkhole caused the building to sink slowly rather than fail all at once.
That distinction helps explain why officials moved quickly even though the property had not collapsed. Structural instability alone was enough to make the building unsafe for people living inside.
What the engineering report says about the sinkhole damage
According to the final engineering report, the sinkhole appeared to have opened beneath two sections of the apartment building. The report says that ground failure allowed the structure to settle over time.
That slow sinking would have put stress on the building and likely contributed to the visible cracking residents saw before they were evacuated. The report gives a clearer picture of how the damage developed, even if it does not answer every question about the site.
The property’s condition raised immediate safety concerns because the damage was not limited to cosmetic issues. The combination of cracking, a gap below the building and movement in the structure pointed to a serious foundation problem.
Nearly all displaced families have moved out of Rialto
Officials with Rialto say the complex has helped nearly all of the roughly 200 families pack up and move after the evacuation. That work has eased one part of the crisis, but it has not resolved the larger issue of what happens to the building itself.
Displacement on that scale can leave residents dealing with temporary housing, lost routines and uncertainty about their next permanent address. The report does not say how long families were expected to remain out of the apartments.
What is clear is that the evacuation triggered a long cleanup and relocation effort rather than a short-term disruption. The complex has been working through the aftermath while residents wait for answers about the structure.
A lawsuit remains as questions linger about reopening
Even with the engineering report in hand, the future of the apartment building remains unclear. The big question now is whether Rialto can reopen the property at all.
Officials have also said at least one lawsuit is still unsettled. That means the evacuation’s legal and financial fallout is continuing alongside the engineering and safety questions.
For now, the report mainly explains what caused the building to sink and why emergency responders acted so quickly. It does not provide a timetable for reopening or any assurance that residents will be able to return.
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