UPDATE: Child rescued from Schmitz Park mud

10:10 AM: SFD has a large response on a “trench rescue” call in Schmitz Park. They’ve reported that the “patient is extricated.” SFD says the original report was of a “child stuck in a mud hole.” Updates to come.

(Photos by Christopher Boffoli)

10:27 AM: We’re told the child is OK – just took a fall during a field trip into the park.

11:01 AM: We have a lot of followup questions out on this and will add the answers as we get them.

11:37 AM: SFD spokesperson Hilton Almond summarizes what happened: “Firefighters rescued a four-year-old male from a mud hole. He was stuck up to his hips, which required a couple of firefighters to pull him out. He sustained no injuries and his mother picked him up.” She verifies in a comment that he’s OK. It was a learning experience for all:

12:26 PM: Seattle Parks spokesperson Rachel Schulkin tells us, “Staff are out there today evaluating if anything can be fixed or needs to be blocked off for a time.”

Brian April 26, 2022 (10:45 am)

Child was buried up to back pack in mud and was rescued by firefighters

WSB April 26, 2022 (10:56 am)

We’re following up with Parks too to see what action is being taken regarding that hazard.

Alicia April 26, 2022 (11:09 am)

This was my son. He stepped in some mud while on a class trip and quickly he couldn’t get out and his teacher couldn’t get him out. He is doing fine and loved the fire trucks.

WSB April 26, 2022 (11:27 am)

Glad he is OK!
- onion April 26, 2022 (1:51 pm)
  
  That last pic is certainly one for the kids’ scrapbooks! I can just imagine the families’ conversations this afternoon: “So Billy/Sally/etc., tell me about your school day.”
ACG April 26, 2022 (12:16 pm)

So glad he is fine!! We have wonderful firefighters here in West Seattle. In our experience they’ve always been so good with kids. Thanks to them and so glad everything worked out ok!!
Alice April 26, 2022 (4:33 pm)

I’m so glad he’s ok and this was just a “we need a little more help” rather than something worse!I love our Seattle ravines, and loved them as a child too. He looks very happy in that picture.
Whenever I see a “trench rescue” on the 911 page it makes my heart drop. So glad this ended well! April 26, 2022 (7:51 pm)

Whenever I see a “trench rescue” on the 911 page it makes my heart drop. So glad this ended well!

Westside Rob April 26, 2022 (11:16 am)

Well it looks like we have Quicksand in our beloved Schmitz Park,, BEWARE!!…

Dawson April 26, 2022 (1:05 pm)

Bo, Luke and Roscoe P Coltrain can’t be far away if there’s quicksand. Just some god ole boys, never meaning no harm…

funtimes April 26, 2022 (11:55 am)

Happened to me and 2 other kids when we were 5 years old, got stuck in a large muddy garden right after a big rain, firefighters had to pull us out and the 1 mom who tried to get to us.

junctioneer April 26, 2022 (12:06 pm)

Would be interested to know how this happened if possible (did it look like a puddle but was deeper? or maybe they knew it was a deep mud hole?) only so that we don’t get stuck too! We go here all the time and want to avoid the same thing happening :) I know it’s not fun to go into details but just in case. So glad he’s well! Mud is for playing in, who could have predicted this as a possibility… :)

Christopher Boffoli April 26, 2022 (12:39 pm)

Such a brave little dude. Didn’t even seem to be a single tear shed. So glad he was unharmed..To be fair, SFD did tell me that he was well off the trail. So while it is perfectly appropriate for Parks to evaluate this, I doubt it would be an issue for most folks who remain on marked trails.

Al Semple April 26, 2022 (1:39 pm)

Well done sell fire department I’m glad that he is okay

nate April 26, 2022 (3:14 pm)

Similar thing happened to my son a couple years ago, right next to the trail. He stepped in a mud puddle, and sank up to his thigh. Luckily I was able to pull him out, but the mud creates a vacuum as you try to lift, which can require more pull than just the weight of the child. He calls it “sink sand” and always tries to probe the mud puddles before he steps in them now.

Just wondering April 26, 2022 (3:29 pm)

Maybe we’re looking at a picture of some future fire fighters!!!!

SEG April 26, 2022 (8:46 pm)

I’m 44 and when I was about 8 I got stuck in mud there too! It was right next to path. My mom struggled to get me out but she did. I have always said that park has quicksand. :-)