An employee at the Breast Health Clinic at 325 North Jeff Davis in Fayetteville escaped serious injury early Wednesday morning when she fell 13-15 feet into a two-foot diameter sinkhole that may be the remnants of an old well.

Fayetteville Fire Capt. Bill Rieck said city and county units arrived at 7:36 a.m. after a call was received from a clinic employee. Once on the scene, emergency units found that another clinic employee had fallen approximately 13-15 feet into what could be the remnants of an old well located off the pavement in the rear of the building, Rieck said.

Clayton County Trench Rescue was contacted while responders at the site rigged a system of pulleys to free the woman, Rieck said. The employee was extricated from the hole 19 minutes later, said Rieck, and was conscious and alert with no obvious injuries. She was transported to a local medical facility for evaluation, Rieck said.

Rieck said the clinic employee was scheduled to arrive at work at 6 a.m., according to the co-worker, who called 911 after hearing the woman’s cries for help.

Rieck said the woman, whose identify was not released by the clinic, had apparently exited the rear of the building to empty a vacuum cleaner. She stepped onto the landscaped area and fell through, he said. The length of time the woman had been in the sinkhole was not currently known, Rieck said.

The sinkhole found by responders was approximately 24 inches in diameter at ground level and opened up to approximately 36 inches in diameter below ground level.

The Clayton County unit arrived and determined that the air quality in the sinkhole was good, said Rieck.

Rieck said the last report of a sinkhole in Fayetteville was several years ago.