A video shows a giant sinkhole swallowing the center of a soccer field in Illinois, leaving the community in shock.
It happened Wednesday morning around 9:00 a.m. at Gordon F. Moore Park, located in Alton, about 20 miles from St. Louis, Missouri. The 704-acre property has 19 soccer and football fields, and youth sports games are held there.
“This could have been much worse,” Marquette Catholic High School athletic director Brian Hoener said during an interview with the Alton Telegraph, noting that their summer camp was there around the same time a week before.
Officials say the hole is approximately 30 feet deep and 100 feet wide, according to ABC 7 Chicago. It was reportedly caused by a collapsed underground mine. There have been no reports of injuries.
In the video, the green turf randomly caves in, and a stadium light pole is sucked into the ground. The collapse is followed by a mushroom cloud of gray smoke.
Sinkholes:Sinkhole in Las Cruces, NM swallowed two cars, forced residents to leave their homes
Michael Hayes, director of Alton Parks and Recreation Department, called the sinkhole “surreal,” adding that it’s “like a movie, KMOV reported.
“The mines have been here and in this area for decades and decades,” Hayes told the outlet. “It’s never been brought up before so I’m told it’s an anomaly. We’ll wait until the investigation is complete.”
The Mine Safety and Health Administration was notified about the incident. Experts are analyzing the damage.
“Gordon Moore Park is temporarily closed while the sinkhole investigation is being completed,” Alton Parks and Recreation said.
New Frontier Materials, who owns the mine, acknowledged the incident in a statement to KMOV.
“The impacted area has been secured and will remain off limits for the foreseeable future while inspectors and experts examine the mine and conduct repairs,” a spokesperson said, per KSDK. “Safety is our top priority. We will work with the city to remediate this issue as quickly and safely as possible to ensure minimal impact on the community.”
USA TODAY reached out to Hayes and New Frontier Materials for comment.
Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at tardrey@gannett.com.
