Search teams faced mounting challenges Wednesday as they fought to locate 64-year-old Elizabeth Pollard, believed to have fallen into a sinkhole while searching for her missing cat in Pennsylvania.
Efforts to find her have been hindered by the unstable conditions of an abandoned coal mine beneath the area, which is threatening the safety of rescuers.
Trooper Steve Limani emphasized the risk posed by the deteriorating mine. "The integrity of that mine is starting to become compromised," he said.
Rescuers have had to reevaluate their approach, moving toward a more complex excavation to minimize danger.
What Progress Has Been Made in the Search?
Authorities worked through freezing conditions overnight, employing various tools to locate Pollard. A pole camera equipped with a listening device was lowered into the sinkhole but detected no signs of life.
However, the camera captured an image of what appeared to be a shoe about 30 feet below the surface.
Pollard was last seen Monday evening near her home in the Marguerite community, where her car was later found parked. "It almost feels like it opened up with her standing on top of it," Limani said of the sinkhole, which rescuers believe formed suddenly.
The Pleasant Valley Fire Department has been using an excavator to dig safely in the area while creating an alternate access point to the mine. Fire Chief John Bacha expressed hope, stating, "We are pretty confident we are in the right place. We're hoping there is still a void she could be in."
Newsweek has reached out the Pleasant Valley Fire Department for comment via email.
Family Holds Out Hope
Pollard's disappearance has left her family anxious but hopeful. Her son, Axel Hayes, shared his concerns during an interview with CBS News. "I'm upset that she hasn't been found yet," Hayes said. "Right now, I just hope she's alive and well, that my niece still has a grandmother, that I still have a mother that I can talk to."
Pollard's granddaughter was found safe in the parked car after reportedly falling asleep and waking up to find Pollard missing.
Authorities noted the sinkhole's opening had not been observed by others in the area before Pollard's disappearance.
Sinkhole Linked to Abandoned Mine
Experts believe the sinkhole is likely the result of subsidence from the Marguerite Mine, last operated in 1952 by the H.C. Frick Coke Company.
A team from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has been on-site and plans to assess the cause of the sinkhole, once the search concludes.
Sinkholes are common in the region due to abandoned mining activity.
DEP spokesperson Neil Shader confirmed that the Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation will investigate further after rescue operations are complete. Rescuers have vowed to continue their efforts until Pollard is found.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press