A public park in Alton is closed as of Wednesday after a massive sinkhole — estimated at 100 feet wide — opened up in the middle of a turf soccer field.
The Gordon Moore Park on the northeast side of town is closed for an investigation, and any scheduled events are canceled, according to Alton’s Parks and Recreation Department.
The sinkhole, which formed around 10 a.m. Wednesday, is the result of a collapsed mine, the Alton Telegraph reports. Security camera footage shows the sudden collapse engulfing bleachers and a light pole.
“No one was on the field at the time, and no one was hurt,” Alton Mayor David Goins told the newspaper. “And that’s the most important thing.”
New Frontier Materials, a Maryland Heights company, operates a facility just west of the park.
The company told KSDK the area has been secured and will remain closed while inspectors and experts examine the mine and make repairs. The mine company also notified the Mine Safety Health Administration, an agency of the U.S. Department of Labor.
