Monday's Union Restaurant reopens after woman falls through sinkhole

UNITY TOWNSHIP, Pa. (KDKA) — Things are getting back to normal at Monday's Union Restaurant, which was taken over by first responders and construction crews who were searching for a woman who had fallen into a sinkhole while looking for her cat.

Even though work continues on the sinkhole and abandoned mine where 64-year-old Elizabeth Pollard's body was eventually found, the restaurant safely reopened on Tuesday.

While dozens of first responders and others worked around the clock to try and rescue Pollard from the sinkhole that opened up in Monday Union's Restaurant's backyard, the owners provided a free place for them to get warm and eat. Now, about a week later, the restaurant has been deemed safe and cleared to reopen. 

"It actually feels good because I want to get back on somewhat of a regular schedule. That was too much time off for the wrong circumstances," said owner Paul Iannuzzo.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation is filling the sinkhole with a cement-like material to stabilize the area, enabling the restaurant to open again for business. 

Though an entire week of business during the busy Christmas season is gone, the owners said they have no regrets. Owner Anita Iannuzzo said it felt good to help.

"It was a good feeling to be able to comfort them. It was cold out, it was windy, it was raining. It was really nice to comfort everybody and make sure they were fed. And that's my job, to make sure people are fed," Anita Iannuzzo said.