Terrifying moment enormous sinkhole swallows huge part of Illinois soccer field

Terrifying video footage captured the moment an enormous sinkhole opened up in the middle of a soccer field in Illinois .

Gordon Moore Park in Alton was forced to close on Wednesday after the 100-foot wide hole swallowed up part of its soccer field . The hole was 30 feet deep, according to authorities.

The sinkhole, which formed at around 10am on Wednesday, was the result of an abandoned underground mine collapsing, local media reported. "The New Frontier Materials underground mine in Alton, IL today experienced a surface subsidence and opened a sinkhole at Gordon Moore City Park," a spokesperson from the mine said.

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“Safety is our top priority. We will work with the city to remediate this issue as quickly and safely as possible to ensure minimal impact on the community,” the statement added. The terrifying moment was captured in surveillance footage, in which a light pole in the center of the field can be seen sinking into the ground.

Seats on the field were also swallowed up by the massive sinkhole, which opened up where benched players would usually sit during the game. Meanwhile, the aftermath of the collapse was captured in drone footage which showed a massive hole in the middle of the field.

Nobody was on the field at the time of the collapse, Alton Mayor David Goins said, adding that nobody was hurt. "I can’t imagine if there were a bunch of people out here," said Alton Parks and Recreation Director Michael Haynes in a statement to News Nation Now. "We’re fortunate," he added.

Following the incident, signs reading; "Danger, keep out" could be seen around the field. All scheduled events at the park were canceled on Wednesday and Thursday as investigations continued.

Sinkhole damages over the last 15 years has cost on average at least $300 million per year, according to the United States Geological Survey. However, sinkhole costs are not compiled nationally so the real figure is likely to be much higher.

The largest recent collapsed sinkhole is believed to be in Shelby County in Alabama. The sinkhole, which collapsed in 1972, is 325 feet long, 300 feet wide, and 120 feet deep.

Last year, a giant sinkhole opened up on a two-lane road in California after a wave of bad storms damaged the nearby drains. A truck was seen inside the sinkhole after the driver ignored warning signs and barriers - just days after a different vehicle did the same.