A girl died after a hole she was digging with another boy at a Florida beach collapsed on them both, multiple outlets reported.
Emergency officials in Broward County received a call shortly after 3 p.m. that two children were trapped in the sand in Lauderdale-By-The-Sea, according to a Broward Sheriff’s Office statement posted on the city’s website.
Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue and Pompano Beach Fire Rescue reported to the scene, located on Florida’s east coast north of Miami.
Pompano Beach Fire Rescue spokesperson Sandra King told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel that the two children were digging a hole approximately 5 to 6 feet deep when it collapsed. The boy was buried to his chest and the girl was completely buried under the boy, King told the Sentinel.
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Many bystanders tried to help young girl and boy out of sand pit
Cell phone footage obtained by WTVJ-Ch. 6 of the moments after the hole collapsed show at least 10 bystanders rushing to the scene to try to dig the children out.
Both children were taken to hospitals for treatment, according to BSO. But the Sentinel reported the girl did not have a pulse and was pronounced dead at the hospital.
The sheriff’s office did not immediately respond to USA TODAY’s request for information and the children’s age, but they were both reported to be between 5 and 8 years old. The girl was younger, multiple outlets reported.
“Our hearts are heavy in LBTS today after learning two children were trapped in the sand,” the city of Lauderdale-by-the-Sea wrote in a statement on their website. “We are doing everything we can to support our first responders.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Florida beach tragedy: Girl killed in sand at Lauderdale By The Sea
