Monessen officials have issued an emergency declaration in order to address a sinkhole that has opened up in the city.
A hole measuring approximately 10-by-15 feet began opening up earlier this month, city officials said. Staff from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection discovered the initial void, located 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 now 12 to 15 feet deep, according to city administrator Michael Korposh.
“It almost looks like one of the old mine ‘portal’ entrances,” 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 emergency declaration by Monessen Mayor Ron Mozer initiates local emergency response procedures, including the purchase of materials and services without the typically required bidding procedures, in the interest of public safety.
Such declarations are reserved for emergencies which 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 to get under way.