Two Children Rescued From Mud Mound

Two elementary school students were rescued Wednesday morning by city firefighters after they became stuck in a mound of mud at a construction site near their school, said a spokesman for the Fire Department. Because of their ages, their names were not released.

About 8 a.m., the boy, 12, and the girl, 8, were walking along Sinclair Lane near Clareway on their way to classes at Sinclair Lane Elementary School when they entered a muddy area and became stuck several feet from dry land, said Chief Kevin Cartwright, the spokesman.

Cartwright said construction workers went to the students' aid and encouraged them not to struggle while someone called 911. Cartwright said that besides firefighters, members of the department's special-operations rescue unit stationed nearby also responded. He said ladders and large pieces of heavy plywood used to shore up cave-ins were used to reach the children, who were pulled to safety after about 45 minutes.

He said the girl was trapped up to her knees and the boy up to his waist. They were taken by ambulance to Johns Hopkins Children's Center, where they were examined and then released.