Watch: Massive sinkhole swallows soccer field in US
A scene straight out of an apocalyptic movie was captured on surveillance cameras when a giant sinkhole swallowed the center of a soccer field in southern Illinois. The soccer field in question was built over an operating limestone mine, and it caved in due to the collapse in the mines located about 150 feet below fields three and four.
30?meters wide sinkhole?
Video showed the hole's sudden formation in the soccer field and the 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 100 feet (30.5 meters) wide and up to 50 feet (15.2 meters) deep.
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No injuries
No injuries have been reported, but all sports have been canceled.
¡°No one was on the field at the time and no one was hurt, and that¡¯s the most important thing,¡± said Alton¡¯s mayor, David Goins, in a post on Facebook.
Caused by surface subsidence
Mine operator New Frontier Materials said in a statement that there was a ¡°surface subsidence,¡± according to local news reports. The director of the Marquette Catholic High School athletic club, Brian Hoener, told the Alton Telegraph that the effects of the collapse could have been ¡°much worse.¡±
¡°Last week at that time, we had 60 to 70 people out there on the field for our soccer camp,¡± he said.
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Michael Haynes, Alton Parks and Recreation Department Director, described the event as surreal: ¡°It was surreal, kind of like a movie where the ground just falls out from underneath you.¡±
He also expressed hope that the city will not bear the financial burden of repairs. ¡°Hopefully, we can find a remedy and get plans together to move forward before we get into our busy season out here again,¡± he said.
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