Terrifying moment sinkhole swallows up soccer field: ‘Something out of a movie’
A massive sinkhole suddenly opened up in the middle of a soccer field at an Illinois park — leaving a gaping area in its wake — after an underground mine apparently collapsed, new video shows.
Surveillance footage from the Gordon Moore Park in Alton showed the moment the sinkhole appeared Wednesday between the park’s two soccer fields, right where players would normally sit on the sidelines, KSDK reports.
The sinkhole expands to about 100 feet within seconds, devouring the seats and a light pole, with officials estimating the chasm to be 30 feet deep.
Fortunately, no one was on the field at the time of the incident.
“I can’t imagine if there were a bunch of people out here,” Alton Parks and Recreation Director Michael Haynes told the local outlet. “We’re fortunate.
“It looks like something out of a movie. … It looks like a bomb went off,” he said of the aftermath.
City officials believe the sinkhole was likely caused by a collapse in an underground mine operated by New Frontier Materials.
The company said the incident has been reported to the Mine Safety Health Administration and that it is working with the city to “remediate this issue as quickly and safely as possible.
“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,” New Frontier Materials said in a statement.
“Safety is our top priority.”
The city has temporarily shut down the park and canceled all events.
