A gigantic hole about 30 meters wide and 10 meters deep opened last Wednesday in Gordon Moore Parkin the city of AltonIllinois, located about 29 miles north of St. Louis, Missouri. The impressive incident, captured by a security camera, occurred in the area that separates two sports fields, swallowing a light pole and expelling clouds of smoke.
Director of Alton Parks and Recreation, Michael Haynesdeclared to KSDK (affiliated with NBC in St. Louis) that “looks like something out of a movie, it looks like a bomb went off.” The event left the community in a state of alarm and forced the park to temporarily close while assessments were conducted.
“I can’t imagine what would have happened to a lot of people there,” Haynes said, adding that “we’ve been fortunate.”
Fortunately, there were no injuries, as the area was unoccupied at the time, according to local authorities. Preliminary investigation suggests that the sinkhole was caused by the collapse of an underground mine belonging to New Frontier Materials.
A company spokesperson told KSDK: “The affected area has been secured and will remain off-limits while inspectors and experts examine the mine and carry out necessary repairs.”
The security camera images showed the exact moment when the earth sank under the light pole and part of the sports field. This event has led to the cancellation of several scheduled activities in the park while the respective investigation is carried out.
New Frontier Materials He said the incident has already been reported to the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA)following applicable regulations. In addition, they assured that safety is their top priority, and that they will collaborate with the city to mitigate the impact on the community. “We will work with the city to remedy this matter as quickly and safely as possible,” the company said.
Michael Haynes He also informed the media that the park will remain closed “while investigations into the sinkhole are completed.” In social networks, Alton Parks and Recreation confirmed to citizens that there will be no more event programming and those already stipulated have been suspended until further notice.
The magnitude of the incident, which went viral on social media with many users shocked by what they saw, makes it clear that there is a need for rigorous inspection and maintenance of underground infrastructure, especially in public areas, both busy and recreational.
