TIME will tell whether there’s light at the end of the tunnel for Kala, who began excavating below her suburban home in October 2022.
The social media creator went viral on TikTok for documenting her journey of tunneling underneath her Northern Virginia home, but zoning officials are shutting her down – for now.
Kala, aka the ‘tunnel girl’ on TikTok, is seen hard at work on her DIY construction project, an underground tunnel-turned-storm shelter[/caption]
Who is the ‘tunnel girl’ on TikTok?
Kala, known by her TikTok username @engineer.everything, has amassed over 500,000 followers and 5.1 million likes on the social media app thanks to her now-viral tunneling videos.
Since starting the project in October 2022, Kala has posted more than 75 videos documenting her unique hobby.
Viewers love tuning in to watch Kala cut through concrete, excavate thousands of pounds of rocks and sediment, install electricity and ventilation systems, and more as she narrates her activity in her now-infamous monotone voice.
Many of the videos feature her dolled up in dresses or skirts, pearl necklaces, manicured nails, and a full face of makeup, as she digs, jackhammers, and excavates the ground below.
Despite what her username suggests, Kala is not a trained engineer.
Kala, now in her late 30s, works in information technology with a 9-to-5 office job, and tunnels in her free time.
As reported by NBC News: “It doesn’t take much for me to pick up a skill,” Kala said.
“I can often learn skills just by doing it with minimal instruction.”
As for why she started the project in the first place – and spent more than $50,000 on it so far – Kala said: “It’s a challenge and I live for challenges.”
“It keeps me preoccupies and keeps me entertained,” she added.
When asked by reporters what she intended to use the underground tunnels and storm shelter for, Kala said: “I wouldn’t say doomsday bunker, because I’m not really a prepper or concerned about that kind of thing at all.”
“I just thought it would be neat to have like a little protective shelter area,” she added.
One of her videos, from July 2023, shows Kala putting out a fire in the tunnel which she says was “caused by welding steel forms.”
Viewers were quick to comment on the video, with one TikTok user writing: “this series feels like underground OceanGate.”
Another commented: “You’re apologizing for poor camera work, but I’m just impressed you clicked record before fighting a fire.”
Despite the setback, Kala told NBC she wasn’t “concerned about safety or structural stability.”
“For the most part, 99.9 per cent, everything has gone according to plan and according to my engineering.”
“There have been a few very, very minor mishaps,” she added.
On August 18, 2023, Kala posted a video celebrating her tunnel’s “one-year anniversary,” saying it’s just been over one year since she began building her underground tunnel system.
One user commented: “love this but I think therapy is cheaper.”
Another wrote: “some people read books, some people play games, some people yearn for the mines.”
And one user said what all of us are thinking, asking: “Are we… are we allowed to build tunnels?”
Still, despite some cause for concern, viewers can’t stop tuning in to see the self-taught “engineer” do her thing.
The hashtag #tunnelgirl has more than 42 million views – and counting – on TikTok.
Why was Kala ordered to stop digging?
Internet sleuths were quick to uncover that Kala lives in the town of Herndon, a suburb in Northern Virginia.
It’s unclear how the town’s building officials and zoning administrators found out about the DIY project, but they likely received a tip from concerned neighbors in addition to watching Kala’ videos.
Kala’s followers often commented on her videos, asking whether she was qualified to take on such a project, had permits to work, and followed any safety protocols while tunneling.
As reported by DCist, owned by WAMU 88.5, a town spokesperson confirmed that Kala and her underground “bunker” had been issued a stop work order.
The spokesperson said: “The Town of Herndon received notice that activity in potential violation of the Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC) was occurring at a residential property within the town’s corporate limits.”
“As is standard protocol following such notifications, representatives from the building official’s and zoning administrator’s offices conducted a site inspection on Thursday, December 7, 2023.”
“The town is working with the property owner to correct any violations and ensure that the property is safe and in compliance with the code,” the spokesperson added.
Kala didn’t publicly respond or notify her followers about the stop-work order for a few weeks.
Kala, aka the ‘tunnel girl’ on TikTok, filmed a video for her viewers explaining that she’s had to stop working on her “mine project” until she receives the necessary permits[/caption]
What did Kala say about the stop-work order?
So far, Kala has kept relatively quiet about the stop-work order.
On December 28, 2023, she posted a video replying to one of her concerned followers about the matter.
The comment, from TikTok user @dogs.bestfriend, read: “There’s a rumor saying your mine project was shut down. I hope not!”
Kala responded to the comment, writing: “Sadly yes, but we are working it out,” alongside the hashtags #engineering, #mining, #tunnel, #permits, and #construction.
In the video, which has amassed nearly 2 million views, over 111,000 likes, and more than 6,600 comments, Kala can be seen driving her Tesla.
Wearing oversized sunglasses and a pearl necklace, she seemingly gets a phone call, answers the phone, and pulls her car over.
The video clip shows Kala looking distressed in her vehicle and then cuts to the next day, where voiceovers of “zoning and inspection officials,” likely doctored or re-enacted, are heard discussing Kala’s tunneling efforts off-camera.
Kala then tells her viewers that she was given a stop-work order and that officials “are requiring an immediate evaluation by a professional engineer.”
She claims that since all the tunneling and building has been done underneath her own home, “it shouldn’t be too hard to get the permits and approval [to keep building and tunneling].”
Users were quick to comment on the video, but rather than sounding supportive, many viewers seemed put off by Kala’s lack of concern.
One user wrote: “I’m baffled it’s taken this long for the city to get involved.”
Another said: “when i fall into a sinkhole because my quirky neighbor wanted tunnels for some reason” alongside a heart eyes emoji.
One viewer responded: “Imagine your house collapses because of your neighbor digging a freaking underground trench system…”
One dedicated follower was more focused on the video’s seemingly professional edit, commenting: “I like how we’re already at the filmed-for-tv reenactment phase of this story.”
Washington D.C.’s CBS affiliate, WUSA9, stopped by Kala’s home on Tuesday, January 2, 2024, to ask for any updates on the situation.
Kala declined to comment, and asked that they not reveal her last name and home address due to safety concerns.
A neighbor reportedly told WUSA9 that “he was a little concerned about the lack of safety measures [Kala] appeared to be taking in her videos, and worried it may have risked his or his neighbors’ lives.”
There’s no word yet on when a professional will be sent to Kala’s home to examine her tunnel, and whether she’ll receive the necessary permits to continue tunneling.
Kala has, however, already made a backup YouTube account, using the username @engineerkala, if things go south on TikTok.