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A giant sinkhole opened up in the middle of a soccer field at Gordon Moore Park in Alton on Wednesday (June 26), knocking down a light pole and "releasing plumes of smoke." According to NBC News, the terrifying hole, spanning 100 feet, began swallowing the field just after 9:00 a.m., ultimately plunging 30 feet into the Earth.
Alton parks and recreation director Michael Haynes blamed the occurrence on an underground mine collapse caused by local company, New Frontier Materials. A spokesperson from the company released a statement following the incident assuring the community that safety was their top priority as they work with the city to repair the sinkhole.
“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. Safety is our top priority. We will work with the city to remediate this issue as quickly and safely as possible to ensure minimal impact on the community.”
Video footage shows the massive sinkhole swallowing the light pole as smoke billows up from the ground in a scene that looks to be out of a horror film.
No one was injured as a result of the incident. The area will remain closed to the public until the sinkhole is fully repaired.