A 5 pm update from
@PSPTroopAPIO is about to get underway regarding the search for Elizabeth Pollard
@WPXI
Trooper Steve Limani is providing the update this evening Crews have worked for nearly 2 full days"We've experienced some difficulty in trying to work on the mine and access to the mine and the fragile state the mine is in.”
The process to find Elizabeth Pollard has changed on their outlook on where they're headed. "We've had to change what we were trying to do" They were trying to do a suction of removal of dirt, debris and rocks, along with water to soften the debris.
"We have not been able to get any type of location of her as of yet" but they are positive she's in the mine. They want to find her and do right by her family
"I know we have a lot of hopes and maybe there's a glimmer of hope..." the oxygen levels are low in the mines. "It's been difficult. It feels like a bit of a loss as an emergency responder and police officer.”
"those guys were in that mine and they were just busting their butt, covered in mud, doing everything they could to remove debris."They went through more than one machine, and the mine is subsiding in several places.
"We have to switch gears and open up a massive hole" -- says it's going to be a huge undertaking. The plan is to work dawn through dusk. They're also preparing for inclement weather with high winds and snow.
Police appreciate the community's outpouring of support. They're not giving up on the search and rescue of Elizabeth Pollard. "We're going to try and find her and get her to the family.”
Just an observation, Limani is emotional as he's giving this briefing
"we're not quitting. we're going to continue to work through this, it's just taking longer than we thought, and that mine is just not in good condition." Says there are areas where it's collapsed and decayed
at least just another day of solid digging, Limani says
There are several different tunnels in place down there. Where Elizabeth fell through was one of the wider parts of where the spans are among the portals and 'fingers' of the mine shaft. It was a very thin piece of ground that she walked on. - Limani
Limani says there are other areas that are also not safe. There will be surveillance around the clock here at Monday's Union Restaurant.
At the crack of dawn, they'll be back out here digging and creating a safe space. They have to resupport the walls of the mine as well. The roof of the mine shaft needs to be shored up
"Unless it's a miracle, mostly likely this is a recovery." - Limani
Limani says they've dug a channel and have used boxes to stack on top of each other and tried to get into the mine. Compares it to a house of cards
Crews "were definitely in harms way" as they went into the mines yesterday. Limani says there's a chance they'll lose a building in the back of the restaurant (which is the garage that I reported earlier today that might need to come down)
"We feel like we failed. It's tough." - Limani
"We had a tough go of it yesterday and last night," but says it's nothing compared to what the family is going through. "We're gonna push forward. We're not going to stop.”
Limani says mine reclamation experts are here too to make sure people in this community won't have any other problems. They've seen different areas of visual sinking if someone's on foot -- nothing specific to a home other than to the garage here
This mine extends for miles, Limani saysIt's old, and has been abandoned for about 75 years.
"We need it to live, but water's the devil" when it comes to structures like this, Limani said.
Limani says that shoe they saw on the camera has been the only thing they've spotted. It was not attached to a person, so if it was Elizabeth's she lost it at some point. They've not found any other articles of clothing.
Limani is now explaining how the rescue crews worked to get harnessed, going down into the mines, covered in mud, exhaused...and then the next crew was back in just trying to get all of the dirt and debris out of the mine"They could have moved a mountain.”
"We were doing everything we could until we couldn't." "That thing is brittle.”
"there's such a thing as miracles, miracles happen, but we're calling this a recovery.”
They're done for the night. Will be back digging at the crack of dawn. That's it for the press conference.
More on
@WPXI
