A young girl died Tuesday afternoon after she and a young boy were digging a hole in the sand on the beach at Lauderdale-by-the-Sea when it collapsed on them, burying them both, a city official said.
A girl about 7 years old and a boy about 8 years old were digging the 5- to 6-foot deep hole in the 4400 block of El Mar Drive, said Sandra King, a spokesperson for Pompano Beach Fire Rescue said. Fire rescue received the call shortly after 3 p.m.
It was not immediately known whether an adult was helping the children dig the hole. When it collapsed, the boy was buried up to his chest in the sand and the girl was completely buried underneath the boy, King said.
Fire rescue had to dig with shovels and supportive boards to keep more sand from collapsing in as they rescued the girl, King said. She did not immediately know how long the children were buried before they were removed.
The girl was taken to Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale, where she was pronounced dead, King said. The boy was taken to the hospital by the Broward Sheriff’s Office but was in stable condition.
Additional information was not immediately available. King said the Sheriff’s Office is investigating.
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