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Couple discovers huge lava cave under their home

‘You couldn't even touch the ceiling in it’, says Oregon home owner

Gino Spocchia
Monday 24 May 2021 18:01 BST
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A lava cave discovered by a homeowner in Oregon
A lava cave discovered by a homeowner in Oregon (KTVZ 21 News)

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A couple in Oregon are selling a house with an added extra room – a large underground lava cave.

On Sunday, Suzanne and James Brierley told local news outlet KTVZ 21 they brought the property and a10-acre plot of land in Bend, Oregon, in 2017.

Shortly after, they discovered a large cave formed by lava, and called in experts to survey it.

Although they were told about the cave below the property, the Brierleys did not expect it to be so big.

“I was really shocked by how big it was. You couldn't even touch the ceiling in it,” Mr Brierley told KTVZ.

“It was quite impressive, it was kinda like a gift we didn't really know we'd had.”

In video of the cave, multiple people are able to stand and walk inside of it.

Oregon High Desert Grotto, a branch of the National Speleological Society, were called in to survey the Brierley’s cave, and collected data.

According to KTVZ, the group believes there are yet unexplored sections of the cave.

Central Oregon is home to approximately 400 lava tubes – caves formed by lava that flowed through the area millions of years ago, and afterwards cooled.

They are thought to be among the most common type of cave in all US National Parks.

The Brierleys added to KTVZ that they hoped future homeowners will help to preserve the cave.

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