Middle school near St. Louis sitting on unsteady ground

SWANSEA, Ill. (AP) - Officials at an Illinois middle school just east of St. Louis say the ground beneath parts of the school is moving.

KSDK-TV reports that inspectors with the Department of Natural Resources have asked Wolf Branch School to close off its gym and cafeteria after seeing cracks in the floor and tiles starting to buckle.

Inspectors believe the ground beneath the Swansea, Illinois, school is unsteady because of an abundance of shifting underground mines.

Superintendent Scott Harres says he's unsure of the timeline or cost of such a fix. He says federal grant money may help with emergency costs, though the school district will probably have to pay if more money is needed later on.

Inspectors will be back at the school Tuesday to conduct more testing.

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Information from: KSDK-TV, http://www.ksdk.com