DAISETTA, Texas -- For the people of Daisetta, Friday afternoon was a first. A chance to get the full picture for themselves and see what only television cameras captured before.

Officials took down the yellow tape for a short while around the massive sinkhole that formed in Liberty County on Wednesday.

The reaction from townsfolk was of amazement.

“That's, wow,” exclaimed one resident.

On Wednesday, part of the salt dome that Daisetta sits on caved in and ultimately swallowed 3 football fields of earth.

A hole so big, that you can actually fit the Astrodome in it.

Concern that the hole could grow fueled fears of what else the earth would take with it.

“We wanted to bring the people of Daisetta to show you all a little bit of what's going on,” said Lynn Fregia of the Daisetta Volunteer Fire Department.

So steps were taken with an afternoon of tours to quell fears and rumors.

“We've been working for over 72 hours, it's been kind of a hairy experience real hot out here and nights are long but we sleep when we can,” said Marcus Simmon of the local fire department.

Trying to protect others from the danger of getting too close. It’s a curiosity that has caught the nation's attention.

“Before (the sinkhole) Daisetta wasn't even on the map,” said Dawn Mangum. “Everyone knows where it's at now.”