A giant sinkhole has swallowed the centre of a soccer complex that was built over an operating limestone mine in southern Illinois, taking down a large light pole and leaving a gaping chasm where squads of kids often play.
But no injuries were reported after the sinkhole opened Wednesday morning.
“No one was on the field at the time and no one was hurt, and that’s the most important thing,” Alton Mayor David Goins told local paper The Telegraph.
Security video that captured the hole’s sudden formation shows a soccer field light pole disappearing into the ground, along with benches and artificial turf at the city’s Gordon Moore Park.
The hole is estimated to be at least 30.5 metres wide and up to 15.2 metres deep, said Michael Haynes, the city’s parks and recreation director.
“It was surreal. Kind of like a movie where the ground just falls out from underneath you,” Haynes told KMOV-TV.
Mine runs 52 metres below city park
The park and roads around it are now closed indefinitely.
Mining company New Frontier Materials said the sinkhole resulted from “surface subsidence” at its underground mine in Alton, which is located about 40 kilometres north of St. Louis along the Mississippi River.
WATCH | 30-metre sinkhole swallows field:
A drone video showed a giant hole about 30 metres across opening up on an Illinois soccer field. No injuries were reported as the chasm opened on the field, which was built over an operating mine.
The collapse was reported to the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration, as required, New Frontier Materials spokesperson Matt Barkett said. He told The Associated Press the limestone mine is located about 52 metres below ground and it’s his understanding that it runs under the city park where the sinkhole appeared.
“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,” Barkett said in a statement. “We will work with the city to remediate this issue as quickly and safely as possible to ensure minimal impact on the community.”
Haynes said he doesn’t know how the sinkhole will be fixed but that engineers and geologists will most likely be involved in determining the stability of the ground and surrounding areas.
