Pennsylvania Grandmother Searching for Missing Cat Possibly Fell into Sinkhole | World News
Search efforts are underway in Pennsylvania for a grandmother who might have fallen into a sinkhole while searching for her lost cat.
Elizabeth Pollard, 64, has been missing since Monday afternoon when authorities suspect she fell into the sinkhole located in Marguerite, approximately 40 miles (65km) east of Pittsburgh.
To investigate the area, heavy machinery has been enlisted, with crews operating both above and below ground.
In addition, search teams have accessed an adjacent mine in their efforts to locate her and have excavated an alternate entry point due to concerns regarding the stability of the ground surrounding the sinkhole.
Heavy equipment has been deployed as part of the search
“When we lowered the camera down, we immediately noticed a significant void with varying depths,” said Marguerite Fire Chief Scot Graham at a press briefing.
“We discovered what seems to be a shoe, and let’s say it’s a relatively new one,” remarked Pleasant Valley Volunteer Fire Chief John Bacha.
The local Urban Search and Rescue Task Force are examining the sinkhole for Elizabeth Pollard. Pic: AP
Rescue teams worked through the night in Marguerite, Pennsylvania. Pic: AP
The family of Ms. Pollard alerted authorities around 1 am on Tuesday, reporting her missing after she went out to look for her cat, Pepper.
Her vehicle was located parked near a local eatery, but she was absent, according to Pennsylvania State Police spokesperson Trooper Steve Limani.
Trooper Steve Limani from Pennsylvania State Police expressed the need for ‘a bit of luck’
“What we did find was her five-year-old granddaughter, who was in the vehicle… thankfully, that five-year-old is okay,” he added.
“It seems the sinkhole likely formed while Ms. Pollard was out walking. We have no indication that the hole existed prior to her searching for her cat,” he continued.
The opening, roughly the size of a manhole, is thought to be new, but sinkholes like this are frequent in the region due to subsidence related to local coal mining.
A team from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has indicated that the underground void is probably connected to the Marguerite Mine, which was last operated by the H.C. Frick Coke Company in 1952.
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The coal seam below Pittsburgh is around 6m (20ft) beneath the surface, while this sinkhole is estimated to be at least 9m (30ft) deep.
Even though temperatures are frigid, the environment underground is warmer, and rescue teams report that oxygen levels have remained stable.
Trooper Limani stated: “We need a little bit of luck on our side in order to find Ms. Pollard alive.”
