The family of a Pennsylvania woman who tragically lost her life in 2024 after plunging into a sinkhole above an abandoned mine shaft has taken legal action. The wrongful death lawsuit claims that both the property owner and U.S. Steel were negligent in addressing the hazards associated with the mine.
Elizabeth Pollard, aged 64, was searching for her missing cat, Pepper, accompanied by her 5-year-old granddaughter in Westmoreland County when she disappeared. The pair had been in the vicinity of Monday’s Union Restaurant, where authorities later discovered her car, reported WTAE-TV. Inside the vehicle, Pollard’s granddaughter was found unharmed, albeit scared.
Mark Malone, the attorney representing the Pollard family, expressed their desire for justice and clarity. “The Pollard family is seeking answers and accountability,” he stated. “They wish for the memory of their wife, mother, and grandmother to carry significance even in death.”
The vehicle was parked alarmingly close to the sinkhole. An intense search and recovery operation ensued, lasting four days and nights, ultimately leading to the discovery of Pollard’s body 30 feet underground. The cause of death was identified as blunt force trauma.
In a related incident, an explosion at the U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works plant in Clairton, Pennsylvania, on August 11, 2025, caused at least one fatality and several injuries. This event highlights the ongoing safety concerns related to the operations of the steel manufacturer, now facing scrutiny in the wrongful death lawsuit surrounding Pollard’s untimely demise.
The car was parked only feet away from the sinkhole. After a four-day, around-the-clock recovery effort, crews found Pollard dead 30 feet below ground. The cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma.
“Elizabeth Pollard should still be alive. The defendants’ alleged failure to provide and maintain a safe environment caused her preventable and untimely death,” Morgan & Morgan founder John Morgan and Malone said in a joint statement.
“This lawsuit seeks to hold these entities accountable for their alleged negligence, which has robbed a family of a beloved wife, mother and grandmother. The Pollards deserve justice, and we will fight to ensure no other family is forced to endure a devastating loss like this.”
The U.S. Steel logo is visible on a roll of steel before the president spoke during a rally at U.S. Steel’s Irvin Works in West Mifflin, Pa., on May 30, 2025. (Saul Loeb/AFP)
The lawsuit alleges that U.S. Steel, the owner of the mine, and the restaurant, which owns the surface property, were responsible for the maintenance and safety of the area. The suit further claims the ground was susceptible to collapse after years of mining and that no measures were taken to address the known risks.
“The restaurant is included because they’re the property owner. They’re a necessary party at this point,” Malone said. “Their knowledge of the property since they purchased and operated it is central to the lawsuit.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to U.S. Steel, the restaurant and the plaintiffs’ attorneys for comment.
The sinkhole led to the Marguerite Mine, which was developed and later abandoned by the H.C. Frick Coke Co. by the middle of the last century, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported.
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