"Like a Bomb Exploded"... 30m Sinkhole Appears on Soccer Field [Video]

Suspected Due to Underground Mine

A sudden phenomenon occurred in Illinois, USA, where the ground of a soccer field abruptly caved in.

Sinkhole occurred at the soccer stadium.
[Photo by X (X, formerly Twitter)]

Local media such as the New York Post and The Sun reported on the giant sinkhole that appeared at a soccer field in Alton, Illinois, on the 27th (local time). The sinkhole is said to be 30 meters in diameter and 9 meters deep.

The sinkhole occurred suddenly without warning. The center connecting the four sides of the soccer field suddenly caved in, and the floodlight tower and seats were instantly swallowed underground. Fortunately, there were no casualties as no one was present when the incident occurred.

Sinkhole Occurred at a Soccer Stadium in Illinois [Image Source=Captured from SNS]

Footage captured by the closed-circuit television (CCTV) inside the stadium at the time shows thick dust rising as the ground collapses within seconds. The floodlight tower standing in the middle of the field also plunged underground in an instant. Regarding this, a park official said, "We were lucky. It looked exactly like a scene from a movie, and it felt like a bomb had exploded," expressing relief.

The exact cause of the sinkhole is currently under investigation by authorities. However, some speculate that an underground mine in the area weakened the ground.

A mining official told the media, "Fortunately, no one was injured," adding, "There is an old mine beneath the soccer field, which seems to have caused the sinkhole. We are investigating the specific circumstances of the accident according to mine safety regulations."

Currently, the local authorities have closed the soccer field where the incident occurred, as well as the nearby park, and have temporarily canceled all events scheduled to take place there.