Two tons of dirt fall onto beach as seaside cliff crumbles in Pacific Beach

A seaside cliff collapsed Friday afternoon in Pacific Beach, dumping two tons of dirt onto the beach below.

TV footage of the collapse showed a pool in the backyard of a home slightly hanging over the edge of the cliff in north Pacific Beach near La Jolla. Fire officials initially said the collapse occurred in La Jolla.

Miraculously, no one was injured when the cliff collapsed at 1:30 p.m., said Capt. Joseph Amador of the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department.

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The earth near the home in the 400 block of Sea Ridge Drive may have crumbled because of a leak in the pool, he said.

A geologist inspected the cliff and determined the home’s backyard was not safe. The residents cannot swim in the pool, but they can continue living inside the home.

The residents opted to leave the house, Amador said.

A soil sample and survey must be performed before the area is declared safe again.

Lifeguards closed off a 50-foot by 50-foot section of the beach to stop any onlookers, he said.

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