Imagine a peaceful soccer field that is bustling with activity one moment and then disappears the next. In a devastating incident caught on video, a 100-foot-wide sinkhole swallowed part of an Illinois soccer field, leaving it vanishing in a moment of devastation. The incident occurred Wednesday at Gordon Moore Park in Alton, Illinois, and surveillance camera video left everyone baffled.

Huge sinkhole swallows football field in the US state of Illinois

“I can't imagine there were a lot of people out here,” Alton Parks and Recreation Director Michael Haynes said in a statement to News Nation Now. “We're lucky,” he added, referring to the incident that occurred near a small town on the east bank of the Mississippi River. Officials and park authorities confirmed that no injuries were reported. Haynes described the crater as about 100 feet wide and 30 feet deep. Fortunately, the field was unoccupied at the time of the incident.

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“We are waiting for feedback from the mine and what the geologists and engineers say,” officials said at the time. “We have decided to close the entire park for the time being,” they stressed, noting that the public area will remain closed until it is officially declared that all areas except the soccer fields are safe.

What caused the 30-meter-wide sinkhole in Alton?

In the footage, the horrific event can be seen starting near the sidelines and quickly engulfing a light pole in its immensity. It is believed that an abandoned underground mine owned by New Frontier Materials is located beneath the ground. The mine has a surprisingly narrow ceiling of only 40 to 50 feet. This catastrophic event created a massive crater at least 100 feet wide and deep and dangerously close to another mine, sparking fears of possible further damage.

“Oh my goodness. This is crazy! My three kids and I come here all the time. Oddly enough, my oldest wants to play soccer and it's scary,” said one local. “I can't believe this video of this thing. We came to the park today to play pickleball, but I guess not today,” noted another.

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“The affected area has been secured and will remain closed for the foreseeable future while inspectors and experts examine the mine and make repairs,” a New Frontier Materials representative told a local news outlet. “No one was injured in the incident. It has been reported to Mine Safety Health Administration (MSHA) officials in accordance with applicable regulations,” they added.