ALTON, Ill. — A sinkhole 100 feet wide and 50 feet deep opened up on the soccer fields at Gordon Moore Park in Alton, Ill., above a New Frontier Materials mine Wednesday morning. Thankfully, no one was hurt, but city and state officials are in big trouble.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker called on the U.S. Department of Labor's Mine and Mining Health Administration to look into the impact of the sinkhole, and the collapse is now under their jurisdiction. Local residents are raising concerns about their safety and demanding answers.

Judy Johnson, a resident of Madison County, said, “It would be nice if they could explain how it happened or why it happened… why [the park] was even developed.”

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Alton Mayor David Goins said in a press release Thursday: “The safety of our citizens is our highest priority. We are working diligently with New Frontier Materials and MSHA to ensure all necessary actions are taken to promptly and effectively resolve this issue. The affected area will remain closed until thorough inspections are completed and the site is deemed safe for public use.”

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency will assist MSHA in the investigation.

New Frontier Materials spokesman Matt Barkett also said in a press release Thursday that all work at the site had been halted and geological experts from both MSHA and New Frontier Materials were conducting extensive inspections.

Huge sinkhole in Alton, Illinois swallows light pole

The Alton Parks and Recreation Department told Fox 2 that Gordon Moore Park will be closed all weekend and that they are unsure of the status next week. They have moved some programs, such as day camp, to the park's riverfront splash area and offered alternate locations or refunds for any current park reservations. The city and mining company said an official press conference will be held at a later date; details have yet to be announced.

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