The terrifying moment a high school football field suddenly collapsed to form a massive sinkhole was captured on surveillance footage.
The giant crater suddenly formed Wednesday morning due to an “anomaly” beneath Gordon Moore Park in Alton, Illinois.
There were no injuries, but the pit is estimated to be at least 30 feet deep and 100 feet wide and swallowed an entire stadium light during the collapse.
The sinkhole is thought to have been created by the partial collapse of an underground mine, which caused the surface to subside.
Michael Haynes, director of the city’s parks and recreation department, told CBS affiliate KMOV: ‘It was surreal. A kind of film where the ground falls out from under you.’
The sinkhole suddenly opened Wednesday morning at Gordon Moore Park in Alton, Illinois – no injuries were reported
Haynes said: “The mines have been here and in this area for decades.
“It’s never been brought up before, so I’ve been told it’s an anomaly. We’re waiting for the investigation to be completed.”
The shocking moment the sinkhole formed was captured on a surveillance camera.
Within a few seconds you can watch the hole open up as the ground subsides.
One of the tall stadium lights sinks into the hole and then disappears completely as it is swallowed up.
The artificial turf mats remained hanging over the edges of the pit as the solid ground beneath them gave way.
The shocking moment the sinkhole opened was captured on a security camera
One of the tall stadium lights sinks into the hole and then disappears completely, being swallowed up before a cloud of dust appears
Drone images showed the extent of the damage: a large part of the fields were destroyed.
No one was on the fields at the time and no injuries were reported.
The fields were added to the park in 2019 and cost $1 million to install.
Haynes said he doesn’t expect the city to have to pay for repairs.
He said: ‘Hopefully we can find a solution and make plans together to move forward before we start our busy season here again.’
The company New Frontier Materials, which owns the mines, told KMOV that the affected area had been made safe.
Drone footage showed the extent of the damage as much of the fields were destroyed
Alton Parks and Recreation shared the news on Facebook, saying, “Gordon Moore Park is temporarily closed while the sinkhole investigation is completed.”
It said the area will remain off-limits while inspectors and experts investigate the mine and carry out repairs.
Alton Parks and Recreation shared the news on Facebook, saying, “Gordon Moore Park is temporarily closed while the sinkhole investigation is completed.
“All scheduled events in the park have been cancelled for today. We apologize for the inconvenience.”
Alton resident Richard Baird said the collapse will have a huge impact on local people.
He told KMOV: ‘Thousands and thousands of people are affected by this. Parents and their children who participate as athletes.’