Three people were killed and two people were injured Friday when a bluff collapsed just north of Grandview Surf Beach in Encinitas.
The bluff collapse occurred shortly before 3 p.m. near a lifeguard tower at the Grandview Beach staircase located in the 1700 block of Neptune Avenue, just below South Ponto State Beach.
One person died at the scene. Two others who were rushed to hospitals in critical condition. Both later died. Two other people suffered minor injuries.
Search and rescue dogs were assisting crews Friday evening to make sure no one else was trapped under the debris.
The chunk of cliff that collapsed is about the size of a bus and is as heavy as a concrete wall, said geologist Dr. Pat Abbott. The area is 25 by 30 feet, lifeguard officials confirmed, adding that the debris reaches 10 feet at its highest point.
Soil experts were also concerned about a potential second collapse, but said homes on the cliff were not at risk. Officials requested heavy equipment to remove debris and "meticulously break it apart to look for anyone else."
Lifeguards closed the beach from the Leucadia-Carlsbad border to just south of Grandview for their rescue effort.
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