On February 28, 2013, 36-year-old Jeff Bush was asleep in his bedroom in Seffner, Florida, when a massive sinkhole suddenly opened beneath his house, swallowing him and part of the house.

On February 28, 2013, 36-year-old Jeff Bush was asleep in his bedroom in Seffner, Florida, when a massive sinkhole suddenly opened beneath his house, swallowing him and part of the house. 

The sinkhole, estimated to be about 20 feet in diameter and 60 feet deep, formed rapidly, giving Bush's family little time to react. His brother, Jeremy Bush, heard his brother screaming and attempted to rescue him but was unable to reach him due to the unstable ground. 

First responders arrived at the scene and made efforts to assess the situation and rescue Jeff, but the sinkhole continued to grow, posing significant risks to rescuers and further complicating rescue efforts.

Despite extensive efforts to locate and rescue Jeff Bush, his body was never recovered.

In the hours following the collapse, authorities declared the house and surrounding area unsafe, forcing nearby residents to evacuate as a precaution. Engineers and geologists monitored the sinkhole closely, noting that the ground continued to shift, making it too dangerous for rescue teams to enter. What began as a rescue operation gradually transitioned into a recovery effort, though conditions on the ground offered little hope.

Experts later explained that the sinkhole was caused by Florida’s limestone bedrock, which is prone to erosion by groundwater over time. Heavy water movement beneath the surface can create underground voids that remain undetected for years before collapsing without warning. In this case, the collapse happened so suddenly that there were no visible signs of danger beforehand.

The tragedy sparked renewed public concern about sinkhole risks in Florida, particularly in residential areas built over vulnerable geology. Local officials faced questions about building regulations, land assessments, and whether more could be done to detect potential ground instability before homes are constructed. For many residents, the incident shattered the sense of safety they associated with their own homes.

Jeff Bush’s family endured not only the sudden loss of a loved one but also the pain of never being able to recover his remains. The absence of closure weighed heavily on those closest to him, especially his brother Jeremy, whose desperate attempt to save Jeff became one of the most haunting aspects of the story. The family later described the event as a nightmare that replayed endlessly in their minds.

In the aftermath, the house was demolished, and the property was left vacant, with the sinkhole eventually filled and stabilized. Yet for the community and for many who heard the story, the site remains a stark reminder of how fragile the ground beneath us can be. Jeff Bush’s death stands as one of the most tragic and unsettling sinkhole disasters in modern American history.