Massive sinkhole opens at Illinois soccer field
A massive sinkhole opened up at a soccer field in Alton, Illinois, on Wednesday. (Credit: 618 Drone Service via Storyful)
A 100-foot-wide sinkhole opened beneath a soccer field in Illinois on Wednesday as a result of a collapse at a nearby underground mine, officials said.
The sinkhole formed at around 10 a.m. at Gordon Moore Park in Alton.
Surveillance video from the City of Alton shows the moment the sinkhole opens and swallows a light pole on the field in a cloud of dust. Drone video shows the aftermath of the crater in the center of the field.
New Frontier Materials, which operates the subsidiary Bluff City Minerals, said in a statement obtained by the Alton Telegraph that the sinkhole was a result of "a surface subsidence" that occurred at its underground mine in Alton.
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No one was on the field at the time of the collapse, Alton Mayor David Goins said. (618 Drone Service via Storyful)
"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," the statement said, in part.
Fox News Digital reached out to New Frontier Materials for comment but did not immediately hear back.
The sinkhole opened at the soccer field at Gordon Moore Park on Wednesday morning. (618 Drone Service via Storyful)
Alton Mayor David Goins addressed the collapse at a City Council meeting later Wednesday, noting that no one was on the field when the sinkhole suddenly swallowed part of the soccer field.
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"It’s unfortunate, but the blessing is that no one was injured. There was no one on the ground at the time the collapse happened," Goins said. "We’re very, very fortunate because as bad as this is, it could've been worse because there could've been injury or loss of life."
A light pole was swallowed as the sinkhole opened and completely disappeared. (618 Drone Service via Storyful)
Goins said an independent geologist will survey the site and determine the extent of the damage.
Meanwhile, the mayor said that all activities at the park have been canceled.
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