2 children killed on field trip after freak Gravel Slide

Freak Gravel Slide Claims Lives of Two Children During Field Trip

St. Paul, MN – what was supposed to be a day of fun at the park to cap off another year of school for a class of fourth graders from Peter Hobart Elementary School has turned to tragedy.

While the children played at the Lilydale Regional Park, a group of students entered the wooded area in a quest for fossils.

Unbeknownst to them, the ground upon which they walked had become unstable due to recent heavy rains and it suddenly opened up on them and then covered them up. Rescue crews arrived immediately with shovels or their bare hands and began digging in an attempt to recover the children.

One child was found early into the rescue effort and a second child was dug out sixty minutes later.

A man who identified himself as the missing child’s uncle said the student “liked geology,” according to the Minnesota Star Tribune.

“Thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the children and to our first responders who continue to deal with the situation as it develops,” said St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman.

Classes went on at Peter Hobart Elementary, where the students were from, on Thursday, district officials told KARE.

“This is an incredibly sad time for our schools and our entire school community. Our hearts go out to the families, friends, and everyone touched by today’s accident,” St. Louis Park Public Schools Superintendent Debra Bowers said in a statement. “We, like everyone else, want to understand how this tragedy occurred, but today we ask for your continued thoughts and prayers for everyone involved.”

The second child was semi-submerged in water at the time of recovery. Sadly, the second child was the only other survivor to be found. The third child was recovered in critical condition and perished shortly thereafter.

The remaining body wasn’t recovered until the next morning. One fireman was injured in the recovery effort when a rock collapsed on him. Another fireman injured his back in the effort making two injuries among the rescue workers.

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