DEP crews worked all day Monday to continue filling in the mine subsidence that opened up Sunday morning in Toby’s Creek behind Luzerne Lumber.
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Luzerne Lumber is located at 445 Main Street in Luzerne, in an area that was once home to the Mill Hollow colliery.
Nearly 100% streamflow has returned to Toby’s Creek after the mine subsidence diverted water underground into an abandoned mine shaft.
LUZERNE — Work continued Monday to fill in a mine subsidence that opened up Sunday morning in the bed of Toby’s Creek behind Luzerne Lumber.
In a statement released early Monday, the State Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) said that Toby’s Creek is now near 100% stream flow after the mine subsidence caused water from the creek to be diverted into an abandoned mine underground.
DEP spokesperson Colleen Connolly said that a tension crack about 6 feet wide among the material being used to fill the subsidence was discovered by crews at approximately 1:30 p.m.
According to Connolly, crews immediately pulled the equipment from the creek and assessed the situation.
Work continued afterwards to plug the hole, which was completed within an hour.
DEP workers on the scene told the Times Leader that they will be back to monitor the area on Tuesday and if any of the rock settles, they will need to pour more onto the area to keep it stabilized.
Workers at Luzerne Lumber said that the mine subsidence did not impact business Monday and the store was open normal hours.
The DEP also worked on a second mine subsidence Monday that opened up around 1 p.m. in the backyard of a home on the corner of Hughes and Hill Streets in Swoyersville.
Connolly said that it is unclear at this time if the two incidents are related.
Separately, Connolly also spoke to our newsgathering partners at Eyewitness News (WBRE/WYOU) about whether or not the mine subsidence in the borough could lead to problems in neighboring communities, since no one knows where the water traveled underground between Sunday and Monday.
“Well, there’s always a concern. We’re mindful of that. This area is on top of old abandoned mines as is the valley. The DEP will monitor that if anyone sees anything unusual call the DEP and let us know so we can come out to investigate,” Connolly told Eyewitness News.
According to the DEP, the abandoned mine underneath Toby’s Creek is known as the old Luzerne Mine and at one point, was called Mill Hollow mines, which shut down in the late ‘60s or early ‘70s.
While the mine subsidence led to Exit 6 on and offs ramps of the Cross Valley Expressway to be closed for most of the day Sunday, both were back open to traffic Monday.