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Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection says one-third of America’s abandoned mine lands are in the state. After Elizabeth Pollard died from falling into a sinkhole in Unity Township, people are worried it could happen to them, too.”The people that live here, we can understand their concern about the fact that we had this horrible tragedy take place. Right now, there are people from the mining division working on reclamation and shoring up the mine. They are currently working on that,” state police Trooper Steve Limani said Friday.Limani said shoring up a mine essentially involves pumping concrete into it. That’s what DEP crews are doing to the mine behind Monday’s Union Restaurant along Marguerite Road.The restaurant’s garage will have to be taken down due to its proximity to the sinkhole. Just feet away, Monday’s stands strong on the same mined land.”If somebody wants to go to that establishment, it will be up and running. There’s no problem where we were parking. We had all of our equipment and vehicles. It was the backside of that property, which isn’t necessarily open to the public at all. That’s the area of concern. The front area, we couldn’t have parked much heavier vehicles there. I feel confident that’s a safe area,” Limani said.The DEP responds to emergencies but does not conduct regular inspections of abandoned mines. They urge the public to report any suspicious formations that could indicate a developing sinkhole. Residents concerned about their proximity to mined land can visit the DEP website to check their status.“If you live in southwestern Pennsylvania and have concerns about the area you live in or notice something suspicious, they’ll go out and investigate to make sure that you don’t have something potentially developing into a sinkhole,” Limani said. For those living in southwestern Pennsylvania who suspect potential sinkhole activity, the DEP will conduct investigations to ensure safety. The department can be contacted at 866-255-5158 for more information or to report concerns. Additionally, mine subsidence insurance is recommended for those residing on mined land, available through the DEP.
Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection says one-third of America’s abandoned mine lands are in the state. After Elizabeth Pollard died from falling into a sinkhole in Unity Township, people are worried it could happen to them, too.
“The people that live here, we can understand their concern about the fact that we had this horrible tragedy take place. Right now, there are people from the mining division working on reclamation and shoring up the mine. They are currently working on that,” state police Trooper Steve Limani said Friday.
Limani said shoring up a mine essentially involves pumping concrete into it. That’s what DEP crews are doing to the mine behind Monday’s Union Restaurant along Marguerite Road.
The restaurant’s garage will have to be taken down due to its proximity to the sinkhole. Just feet away, Monday’s stands strong on the same mined land.
“If somebody wants to go to that establishment, it will be up and running. There’s no problem where we were parking. We had all of our equipment and vehicles. It was the backside of that property, which isn’t necessarily open to the public at all. That’s the area of concern. The front area, we couldn’t have parked much heavier vehicles there. I feel confident that’s a safe area,” Limani said.
The DEP responds to emergencies but does not conduct regular inspections of abandoned mines. They urge the public to report any suspicious formations that could indicate a developing sinkhole. Residents concerned about their proximity to mined land can visit the DEP website to check their status.
“If you live in southwestern Pennsylvania and have concerns about the area you live in or notice something suspicious, they’ll go out and investigate to make sure that you don’t have something potentially developing into a sinkhole,” Limani said.
For those living in southwestern Pennsylvania who suspect potential sinkhole activity, the DEP will conduct investigations to ensure safety. The department can be contacted at 866-255-5158 for more information or to report concerns. Additionally, mine subsidence insurance is recommended for those residing on mined land, available through the DEP.
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