Two Kids Feared Dead As NC Construction Site (VIDEO)

Two children were feared dead Monday after becoming trapped underneath dirt at a residential construction site near Charlotte, N.C., on Sunday, officials said.

An initial attempt to rescue the children, who are trapped below ground, was unsuccessful, according to emergency responders.

The East Lincoln, N.C., Volunteer Fire Department said efforts had “moved into the recovery phase.”

Authorities did not say how the children became trapped, but neighbors told NBC affiliate WCNC that the site was a basement under construction and that a wall collapsed, trapping the kids.

Charlotte firefighters, police, a structural engineer and rescuers from surrounding counties are all aiding in the effort.

WCNC reported the two children are a 6-year-old girl and a 7-year-old boy. Their father was with them and made the initial call to 911 around 6 p.m. ET, Sunday.

Update: A rescue worker said the first body, a 6-year-old girl, was discovered Monday around 6 a.m. The body of a 7-year-old boy was found an hour later.

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