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Mudslide Traps Family Inside Fairfax Home

FAIRFAX (KPIX 5) – A powerful mudslide caused by the recent stormy weather trapped a family inside a home in Fairfax Tuesday night.

It was around 7:15 p.m. when days of torrential rains and high winds, sent a hillside and trees at Sir Francis Drake Blvd. and Olema tumbling down the hill.

"These trees came down and mudslide and smashed the carport and pushed all the mud out and the carport is buried. You can't even see that it was there," Ben Harwood told KPIX 5. "The trees are on top of it somewhere."

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The slide knocked out the stairs to Harwood's in-law's house, trapping them and his two daughters inside.

The force of the slide pushed a Toyota SUV out of the carport and practically into traffic on Sir Francis Drake.

"This is like a disaster scene," Harwood said.

Rescuers from Marin County Fire got to work picking their way over trees, mud, carport and live wires to pull everyone out, one by one.

First to be rescued was 4-year-old Juliette, who mom and dad call "Jellybean."

Up next, 10-year-old Emy, who did not realize she was trapped up 68 steps.

"Then, suddenly everyone was freaking out and I didn't quite know why. And then I looked outside and it was really weird," Emy said.

PG&E was also called to the home to cap a gas leak that was caused by the slide.

No one was injured.

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