Mine-related sinkhole opens in Monessen

The 3-by-3-foot steel plate on State Road in Monessen may not look like much, but what it covers underground is much larger.

Monessen officials have issued an emergency declaration in order to address a 12-by-15 hole caused by mine subsidence.

“It almost looks like one of the old mine ‘portal’ entrances,” city administrator Michael Korposh said. “You can see right down into it. We’re hoping there’s no other related damage from other shafts that intersect there or run parallel.”

The hole began opening up this month, city officials said. Staff from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection discovered the initial void, estimated at about 10-by-15, beneath the intersection of State Road and Pennsylvania Boulevard.

DEP officials confirmed the void is the result of mine subsidence, and the resulting sinkhole is at least 12 feet deep, according to Korposh.

The emergency declaration by Monessen Mayor Ron Mozer initiates local emergency response procedures, including the purchase of materials and services without the usually required bidding procedures. Such declarations are reserved for emergencies that require immediate action beyond the scope of normal city operations.

“We worked with DEP yesterday to formulate a plan for getting the stone necessary to fill the hole along with slurry, some concrete and patching on top,” Korposh said.

DEP crews were at the site Tuesday preparing for remediation work. Korposh said the fill work will likely be done by a local contractor.

“I think it’s going to take a good bit more fill material than what they have piled out there,” Korposh said. “But we won’t know for sure until they start filling it in. For now, it’s mostly just a matter of making sure the road is closed and the area is safe.”

State Road is closed between Pennsylvania Boulevard and Main Street.