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The tragic death of a Pennsylvania woman in 2024 has led her family to file a wrongful death lawsuit, claiming that negligence by the property owner and U.S. Steel contributed to her fatal accident. Elizabeth Pollard, aged 64, died after falling into a sinkhole that had formed above an abandoned mine shaft.
Pollard was in Westmoreland County, searching for her cat, Pepper, with her 5-year-old granddaughter when she disappeared. Her car was later located near Monday’s Union Restaurant, sparking a search that ended in heartbreak when it was discovered she had fallen into the sinkhole. Authorities found Pollard’s vehicle hours after she vanished, according to reports from WTAE-TV.
Mark Malone, the attorney representing the Pollard family, expressed their quest for justice. “The Pollard family is seeking answers and accountability,” he stated. “They want to ensure that their beloved wife, mother, and grandmother’s death is not in vain.”
Fortunately, Pollard’s granddaughter was found inside the car, scared but unharmed, providing a small solace amidst the tragedy.
In a related incident underscoring safety concerns, an explosion at the U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works plant in Clairton, Pennsylvania, occurred on August 11, 2025. This separate event resulted in at least one fatality and several injuries, drawing further scrutiny to the company’s safety practices. This backdrop amplifies the family’s lawsuit, highlighting alleged ongoing hazards and lapses in safety measures.
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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