Florida beach sand hole collapse claims life of five-year-old girl and injures boy as rescuers try to save them, Internet calls it 'heartbreaking'

BROWARD COUNTY, FLORIDA: In a heart-wrenching incident, a five-year-old girl tragically lost her life in a beach sand hole collapse in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Florida.

The devastating moment of beachgoers' frantic attempts to rescue her was captured on camera.

The young girl was engrossed in the innocent pastime of digging a sand hole when the structure suddenly collapsed, trapping her underneath.

Despite the immediate and desperate rescue efforts by passersby, the girl could not be saved, per Daily Mail. 

Adding to the "absolutely tragic" event, a seven-year-old boy was also caught in the collapsed sand hole. Fortunately, he survived the incident.

Florida beach sand hole collapse took life of a young girl

Witnesses reported that the children were playing in a sand hole when it suddenly collapsed.

The desperate rescue efforts by beachgoers were captured on mobile phone footage before firefighters arrived. The incident was witnessed by other children present at the scene.

Both children were immediately rushed to the hospital, but the girl was pronounced dead upon arrival.

The identities of the children have not been disclosed, and their relationship to each other, as well as who was supervising them at the time, remains unknown.

According to Sandra King, a spokesperson for Pompano Beach Fire, the sand hole was about five to six feet deep at the time of the collapse.

The boy was buried up to his chest, while the girl was completely covered by the sand.

Beachgoers frantically attempt rescue

A crowd of people reportedly gathered to help dig out the children trapped in the sand hole until authorities arrived.

The girl, unfortunately, did not have a pulse when she was unearthed and was declared dead upon arrival at Broward Health Medical Center. The boy, however, survived and is in stable condition at the hospital.

The circumstances surrounding the incident, such as whether any adults were present or involved in the digging, remain unclear.

The family's local status or visitor status is also unknown. The Sheriff's Office is currently investigating the incident.

The aftermath of the collapse saw a crowd surrounding the large pit, with two buckets visible nearby.

It's uncertain whether these belonged to the children. Mobile footage captured the frantic efforts of people digging through the sand, some trying to prevent further collapse.

The beach was cordoned off by authorities, leaving the half-filled hole and discarded beach toys behind.

Despite the rarity of sandhole deaths, they are not unheard of, and there have been studies and warnings about such incidents.

While sand hole deaths are infrequent, they do occur.

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2007 reported 52 incidents, both fatal and non-fatal, related to sandholes between 1997 and 2007.

The study highlighted that such incidents, though rare, are an underrecognized hazard.

Internet reacts

A user took to Facebook and shared, "This is heartbreaking... I didn't realize this could happen either, with Spring Break travel is right around the corner figured it was worth a share."

Another user noted, "This was dug, you can see the sand piled up around it... This is bizarre."

"Sand sink hole? Just fell in? What the heck. How does that happen?" exclaimed another.

"Soo sad and tragic!!" said another. One person added, "Why do kids still do this?it is so dangerous. Praying they will be okay." 

A user remarked, "This is what happens when someone digs a hole at the beach & doesn't fill it in." 

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.