PA Woman Swallowed By Sinkhole: Search Continues, Latest Updates

MARGUERITE, PA — The search for a missing grandmother who is believed to have fallen into a 30-foot sinkhole continued Wednesday morning, even as the abandoned mine where she is believed to be is becoming unsafe.

Pennsylvania State Trooper Steve Limani said at a news briefing that water being pushed through the mine to break down the clay hampering the search is causing the potential for additional mine subsidence to occur and is putting members of the search team at risk.

Although concerns about the mine's structural integrity are complicating the search, Limani insisted the hunt for Elizabeth Pollard, 64, remains a rescue and not a recovery effort.

“Until you're telling us there's no chance, there's a chance, and I know that there might be mathematical difficulties or maybe some science, but there's people that were in mines an hour from here, they were in them longer and were recovered and saved,” Limani said.

Pollard has not been seen since around 5 p.m. on Monday. She disappeared while apparently looking for her cat.

Family members reported her missing at around 1 a.m. on Tuesday. Her car was located early Tuesday behind Monday's Union restaurant. Her 5-year-old granddaughter was found inside the vehicle.

The search team discovered a shoe in the sinkhole that is believed to belong to Pollard.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection issued a statement saying that it believes the subsidence was caused by historic mining in the abandoned Marguerite Mine last operated by the H.C. Frick Coke Co. in 1952.

Marguerite is located in Unity Township, about 40 miles east of Pittsburgh.