Shocking video was released on Wednesday showing a football field being swallowed up by a massive sinkhole in Alton, Illinois.
The sinkhole on the soccer field at Gordon Moore Park is about 100 feet wide. according to NBC affiliate KSDK reported that a light pole and bleachers were also swallowed up as the sinkhole formed.
Security camera footage obtained by KMOX News captured the moment, showing a massive light pole toppling over and creating a sinkhole before a large cloud of dust appears to fill the air.
Video: Massive sinkhole swallows light pole under football field in Alton, Illinois.
Credit: Alton Parks Recreation
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Alton Mayor David Goins said no one was injured during the event, according to KSDK, and no one was on the soccer field at the time of the incident, the outlet reported.
“We're waiting to hear back from the mine and hear what the geologists and engineers have to say,” Alton Parks and Recreation Director Michael Haynes told the outlet. “We'll follow their direction going forward. [determine] What happened, why it happened, how can we prevent it, and how do we fix what happened here?”
Haynes told the outlet that the sinkhole is approximately 30 feet deep and 100 feet wide. (RELATED: Firefighters rescue woman who fell into 25-foot sinkhole)
On June 26th, a shockingly large sinkhole appeared in the middle of a soccer field at a park in Alton, Illinois.pic.twitter.com/rUTlNIOwPR
— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) June 27, 2024
A New Frontier Materials (NFM) spokesperson told KSDK that the sinkhole was caused by an underground mine owned by the company.
“The affected area has been secured and will remain off-limits for the time being while inspectors and experts investigate the mine and make repairs,” an NFM spokesperson was quoted as saying. “Safety is our number one priority, and we will continue to work with the city to repair this issue as quickly and safely as possible with minimal impact to the area.”
“It's like a scene from a movie. It's like a bomb went off,” Haynes told KSDK.
Haynes reportedly added that it was “disheartening” to see the scene as the soccer and football fields were upgraded with new turf about five years ago.
