A self-proclaimed “engineer” who went viral on TikTok for building a tunnel system 22 feet beneath her home has been ordered to put the brakes on her passion project.
The 37-year-old Virginia woman, who goes by Kala, was asked by the city of Herndon to wait to build a storm shelter under her home until she received the necessary permits.
In a video posted on December 28, Kala confirmed that she had received a stop-work order and was told that her project needed “an immediate evaluation by a professional engineer.”
“Luckily, contrary to the rumors here, it is built entirely under the ceiling of my house and it shouldn't be too difficult to get the permits and approvals,” she said.
The 37-year-old has a following of more than 530,000 on the video-sharing platform, and her most popular uploads reach millions of views.
Kala, a 37-year-old resident of Herndon, Virginia, was ordered by the city to stop construction of a 30-foot-long tunnel 22 feet beneath her suburban home
The influencer, who has no formal background in engineering, has amassed millions of views on TikTok videos in which she stacks concrete blocks, welds and moves earth
Neighbors say they are concerned about the noise and fear the apparent lack of security could pose a danger to those around them
“It's kind of crazy. Kind of funny, I'm not going to lie,” a neighbor told FOX 5.
“But I definitely have concerns, whatever she does and whatever I like, the area around us is dirt and so on. “I'm just making sure she doesn't damage the surrounding properties.”
Another neighbor told WUSA9 that the woman was a recluse who mostly kept to herself.
“It's concerning that there's a lot of noise being made during the day,” he said, adding that it wouldn't prompt him to “call the authorities.”
However, the man said he was “a little worried” about the lack of security measures she appeared to be taking and feared her recklessness could endanger his life or those of his neighbors.
Kala, who has asked news outlets not to reveal her last name, began filming her trial in 2022.
In a dimly lit tunnel beneath her house, she can be seen stacking cinder blocks, moving dirt and welding metal.
Her most popular video on the platform, a “retrospective” of her last year of work, has been viewed over 7.5 million times.
The thumbnail shows her at the entrance to the tunnel with the caption: “Should I go deeper?”
TikTok has labeled several videos with a warning: “The actions in this video are performed by professionals or supervised by professionals. 'Don't try it.'
The 37-year-old says she is working on building a storm shelter and started filming in 2022. So far she has spent more than $50,000 on the project
The city issued her a stop-work order and told her the project needed an “immediate evaluation by a professional engineer.”
Although Kala describes herself as an “engineer” on social media, she does not have the relevant license. She studied business administration and finance and works in information technology.
The woman has so far spent more than $50,000 on the 30-foot-long tunnel and has earned the nickname “Tunnel Girl.”
However, it was widely criticized and netizens wondered about the risks.
“Imagine your house collapsing because your neighbor is digging a damn underground trench system,” wrote one concerned viewer.
Another commented: “Why would you NOT get permits beforehand for such a big project?”
The city of Herndon issued a statement saying it had “received notice that activity in violation of the Uniform Statewide Building Code may have occurred on a residential property within the city's corporate limits.”
Representatives from the building department and the zoning authority conducted a site visit as per protocol on December 7, the city said.
Officers “will work with the property owner to address any violations and ensure the property is safe and compliant.”