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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallKala, a Herndon, Virginia, homeowner, was digging an underground storm shelter beneath her house and documenting the work on TikTok. Town officials halted construction while they reviewed safety and code compliance. In March 2025, FOX 5 reported that Kala said the town had approved her plans and issued a permit to continue; that report did not say the shelter was completed.
Why was Kala digging beneath her house?
Kala described the excavation as a storm shelter and a long-held passion project, not a commercial mine or a plan to extend a tunnel under neighboring properties. The Washington Post reported that she had been sharing videos of the work since fall 2022. She said she learned by reading and watching online videos, and acknowledged the project was not intended to make money: “This project is going to be enormously expensive and will have zero return on investment.” The Washington Post’s January 2024 account reported that some viewers misunderstood the videos and thought the work reached beyond her property.
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The reported work included breaking through a basement wall, moving earth and rock with a makeshift elevator, welding supports, pumping groundwater, and lining the structure with cement. Those details describe what Kala reportedly did; they are not a structural assessment or instructions for underground construction.
Why did town officials stop the work?
A neighbor contacted Herndon after seeing large amounts of soil removed from the property and asked whether the work was permitted. The Post also reported that a joking reference to dynamite in one video contributed to concern. Town officials halted the project while they assessed safety and code compliance. The Post reported that a new storm shelter required a permit.
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- DIMENSIONS: 4ft W x 6ft L x 6ft H
- Standard with LED lights and 3-point latching outswing door
- Removable padded/carpeted steps and bench seating to allow for adjusted room once occupying the shelter
- Seating on 2 sides of the shelter
- Shock assisted doors allow for easy operation and provides a steel locking mechanism at each end of the door
The reported stop-work action was a review, not a published finding that the tunnel had collapsed or was definitively structurally unsafe. Kala’s videos and the news coverage do not establish the engineering details needed to assess the excavation: no tunnel dimensions, soil study, structural inspection results, or other property-specific engineering measurements were reported.
Did Herndon let her continue?
The public timeline has two distinct stages:
- 2023–24: Herndon officials stopped the work while reviewing safety and code compliance, as reported by the Washington Post in January 2024.
- March 2025: FOX 5 reported that Kala said Herndon had approved her plans and granted a permit to continue. This is a report of her statement, not confirmation that construction was subsequently finished.
The latest reported update here establishes a permit to continue, not a completed shelter or the project’s present-day status. FOX 5’s March 2025 update does not report a later completion or inspection outcome.
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What does this story establish about radon?
It does not establish that Kala’s home had elevated radon. No test result for her property was reported. Radon is a colorless, odorless radioactive gas produced by the natural decay of elements in soil and rock; indoor levels can be higher below ground, and long-term exposure can lead to lung cancer, according to the American Cancer Society.
A regional map cannot tell a homeowner what is in a particular house. The Virginia Department of Health says the EPA’s Virginia map is based on limited test results and estimates the chance of encountering high indoor radon in a jurisdiction; it is not a prediction for an individual home. VDH says high results have been found in every Virginia county and recommends testing homes. Its guidance is direct: “The only way to know if a particular home has a radon problem is to test for it.” Virginia Department of Health radon guidance
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- Shelter has been tested by a FEMA Certified Facility - Texas Tech National Wind Institute
- Can be installed without heavy equipment. Shelter must be anchored to concrete slab.
- Standard Size 20 sq. ft. - Shelter is 84" inside height
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- Tru-Vault Door. Six locking bolts engaged with one motion. Faster, Safer, locking system
What homeowners should take from the construction case
The story is a reminder that an underground structure is not simply a room built below grade. Excavation can affect a house and surrounding soil, while a new storm shelter may trigger permitting and code requirements. The reporting does not provide enough site-specific information to judge Kala’s construction methods or the safety of the finished project. Anyone considering below-ground construction should get advice from qualified local design and construction professionals and confirm permit requirements with the relevant building department before work begins.
For the radon question, test the home rather than relying on a county-level risk estimate. A below-ground room is a sensible place to include in a testing plan, but neither a map nor this news story supplies a measurement for Kala’s house.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
