South OC Bluff Collapse Halts Trains, Draws K-9 Rescue Response

SAN CLEMENTE, CA — No homes are threatened, and no one was injured after a bluff collapse in south Orange County drew a significant emergency response Monday, according to that agency.

Monday morning, Orange County Fire Authority firefighters arrived at the scene of a rock slide on the San Clemente Beach Trail, south of the San Clemente Pier, a spokesperson for OCFA said.

"Upon arrival, OCFA personnel assessed the scene and determined there was no damage to, or danger posed to homes located on the cliffs above the rockslide," they said.

K-9 dogs from the Urban Search and Rescue, along with their handlers, searched the slumped cliff for signs of life, as a precaution, to ensure there were no victims underneath the collapsed bluff.

"K-9s Nanci, Cooper, and Rubble, along with their handlers, thoroughly canvassed the entire slide area," the OCFA spokesperson said. "After completing their search, all K-9 teams confirmed that no individuals were trapped within the debris."

Metrolink briefly suspended service between Oceanside and San Clemente during the incident. Once the all clear was given, with clear tracks and no immediate threat, the trains were running as usual hours later.

No other information was immediately available about the bluff collapse.