Missing Pennsylvania woman believed to have fallen into sinkhole while searching for cat
UNITY TOWNSHIP, Pa. (KDKA) — A woman out searching for her missing cat overnight in Westmoreland County may have fallen down a sinkhole behind a restaurant in Unity Township.
Dozens of first responders, from police to firefighters and search and rescue teams, are on the scene at Monday's Restaurant on Marguerite Road looking for 64-year-old Elizabeth Pollard. In press conference Tuesday evening, State Police said they haven't been able to make contact with Pollard more than 24 hours after she disappeared, but crews have been able to get into the abandoned mine where she fell and it's still considered a rescue mission.
State police said Pollard was last seen in the area around 5 p.m. on Monday calling for Pepper, her cat. Hours later, around 1 a.m. Tuesday, a family member called State Police to report that Pollard had not come home.
Troopers went out searching for her in the area of Monday's Restaurant and discovered her car just before 3 a.m. parked behind the building.
Pollard's 5-year-old granddaughter was found inside the vehicle, state police said. She was cold and scared but not hurt.
While walking around the car, state police said they found a sinkhole nearby. State Police said they believe Pollard may have fallen down that hole while searching for the cat.
The sinkhole is on an old coal mine, state police said. It is described as being about the size of a manhole on a city street; however, the hole is about 30 feet deep.
"We also discovered there was a sinkhole; it was maybe 15-20 feet from the vehicle," said Trooper Stephen Limani of Pennsylvania State Police. "It was about the size of a manhole cover but the pocket underneath is significantly larger, and trying to send cameras down there, we determined it's roughly about 30 feet before you see a lot of debris."
Limani said after talking to people with the restaurant, it appears that the sinkhole opened up as Pollard was looking for her cat.
"The sinkhole, it appears that it was most likely created during the time, unfortunately, that Mrs. Pollard was walking around," Limani said. "We don't see any evidence of any time where that hole would have been there prior to deciding to walk around and look for her cat."
The Department of Environmental Protection released a statement on Tuesday, saying the Bureau of Mine Safety was dispatched to the site to advise and provide technical support to local and county emergency responders.
"...Upon initial review, DEP believes this subsidence feature to be the result of historic mining in the abandoned Marguerite Mine last operated by the H.C. Frick Coke Co. in 1952. The depth of cover from the surface to the Pittsburgh coal seam is approximately 20 feet in this area," a DEP spokesperson said in a statement.
Once the scene is cleared, the DEP's Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation will investigate the site to determine if this issue is the result of historic mine subsidence.
Rescue efforts underway
A command post was set up along Marguerite Road overnight. Troopers from the state police barracks in Greensburg are leading the search and response efforts.
Troopers called in search and rescue teams as well as a vacuum truck to remove debris from inside the hole. Limani said at one point, there were over 100 people at the scene. He said they're still hoping for a rescue at this point.
Crews worked on widening the hole Tuesday and eventually got people into the mine area. They've been putting cameras and mics down, and while they did find what appears to be a shoe, they haven't seen or heard Pollard yet. However, they say there is reason to be optimistic.
"All oxygen levels have been perfect. No carbon monoxide, no explosive gases, no anything. The atmosphere has been perfect at this point so we still have some hope that there's a void and we'll be able to get there with an excavation company," said Pleasant Unity Volunteer Fire Department Chief John Bacha.
Authorities said the temperature in the mine is warmer than the outside air, estimating it was around 50 degrees Tuesday afternoon, much warmer than freezing temperatures above ground.
Unity Township supervisor Mike O'Barto said officials declared a disaster emergency to help with the search.
"What this does is this gives the township as well as EMS the chance to get any bit of equipment that we may need without having to deal with a bidding process. So it's very important that we did this today and we're here to do whatever it takes in this rescue mission," O'Barto said.
Rescuers remain optimistic after getting into mine
In an evening press conference, Limani said volunteers are coming in to switch shifts, and there's a group of skilled rescuers meeting with crews to get up to speed and make a plan moving forward.
Limani said groups have gone down and have managed to make entry into the mine area, but they still haven't found Pollard.
While it's getting dark, Limani said there's "zero stopping" and the efforts are amplifying now that crews have gotten into the mine.
More than 24 hours later, Limani said they're still considering it a rescue effort instead of a recovery effort.
"There's people that were in mines an hour from here that were in there longer and were recovered and saved," he said. "That doesn't mean that this can't happen here. It doesn't mean she can't be in a pocket somewhere. The fact that we didn't find her immediately could be a good thing, right? Maybe she was able to move to a different location. The ceiling, it looks like, is pretty high once you get down into the mine, to the point where it almost looks like a human could traverse it and walk it."
Limani said the family is understandably "having a rough go with it." A family member spoke briefly to the media, asking for prayers.
While it's now getting darker and colder, Limani said rescuers remain focused and determined.
"Spirits are up here, and we're keeping a positive mindset and we're going to keep working the entire way through this. And we're going to be here. I'm going to be here, and everybody behind me — we're here. We're here until she's found."
Missing woman's son speaks on her disappearance
Elizabeth Pollard's son, Axel Hayes, spoke about his mother's disappearance on Tuesday evening, saying he has gone through many emotions, but hopes first responders find Pollard alive.
"Right now, I'm going through a lot of mixed emotions. I'm upset that she hasn't been found yet and I'm really just worried about whether she's still down there, where she is down there, or whether she went somewhere safer," Hayes said. "I just hope she's alive and well, that she's going to make it, that my niece still has a grandmother, that I still have a mother I can talk to."
