Search extends into the night for Pennsylvania woman who may have fallen into sinkhole
apnews.com
A grandmother looking for her lost cat apparently fell into a new sinkhole above an abandoned western Pennsylvania coal mine and rescuers worked late into the night to try and find her.

Summary

Authorities in Marguerite, Pennsylvania, are searching for Elizabeth Pollard, 64, who disappeared while looking for her cat. A nearby sinkhole, likely caused by abandoned coal mine subsidence, is the focus of the search.

Pollard’s car was found with her 5-year-old granddaughter unharmed inside.

A shoe was discovered 30 feet down the sinkhole, but no other signs of Pollard have been detected.

Crews are cautiously excavating unstable ground and exploring mine voids. The Pennsylvania DEP will investigate the sinkhole’s cause after the search concludes.

    • GBU_28@lemm.eeEnglish
      22·
      22 days ago

      Uh… Nothing? She’s very likely dead if she fell in and was covered

      • Mouselemming@sh.itjust.works
        11·
        22 days ago

        They’re still treating this as a rescue situation, because these sinkholes can have large air pockets and are warmer than the surface air.

      • LaunchesKayaks@lemmy.world
        4·
        22 days ago

        It’s been below 32 degrees the whole time she’s been missing. I live relatively close to that area. There’s no way she’s stayed warm enough if she’s truly in that sinkhole.

        • EtherWhack@lemmy.world
          1·
          22 days ago

          You can’t really base anything off of surface temp though as underground typically remains more temperate.

          • LaunchesKayaks@lemmy.world
            2·
            22 days ago

            People can die of exposure in like 50 degree weather. I feel like the inside of a sinkhole in winter isn’t a balmy room temp. I hope I’m wrong, though.