Three people are dead and two are injured after a San Diego cliff collapsed onto a crowded beach Friday. The incident occurred at around 3 p.m. when the beach in Encinitas was full of people, according to local media reports. Encinitas Fire Chief Mike Stein told reporters two victims in critical condition had been flown to hospitals, and two others received treatment for minor injuries. The victims have not yet been identified. A resident who witnessed the aftermath of the collapse told local news outlet NBC 7 that she’d seen about 10 first responders digging through the rubble in search of those trapped when they “stopped and all just stood there silently” after apparently finding the woman who was killed. The witness, Jackie Benedict, said it was “horrible” to see as the family “screamed” upon being notified of the death. “I can’t imagine being at the beach and your life is changed in the blink of an eye,” Benedict said.
