Crews recount search for family

Taking great lengths to avoid further damaging the victims' remains, firefighters dug by hand once city engineers confirmed that they were working within 5 feet of the crumbled home's floor. Despite the crushing impact of the slide, the bodies of the deceased were ultimately recovered intact.

"It was apparent that they did sustain blunt force trauma," Meaker said. "But it doesn't appear that any of them suffered at all. As far as we can tell, the victims were most likely deceased before the first 911 call came in on Saturday, and their bodies were protected by the mud. It was a very molten, kind of fluid mud that formed around the victims very tightly to encase their remains."

The chief indicated that while the mother's body was recovered near the midpoint of the house, the children's bodies were unearthed on the east end — the daughter lying on a couch. Expressing his condolences, he said, "The family is who we're doing this for, and I think they've showed grace in the public statements they have made."

"This was a total team effort," he said, "and although Logan Fire performed wonderfully, we couldn't have done it without our mutual aid partners. This was our first serious, long-term, multiple-day assignment, and I think we performed well."

In coming weeks, Logan's public-works department will coordinate final cleanup efforts and permanent stabilization of the affected hillside, and initial cost estimates for the emergency response efforts are expected later this week.

An account has been established at Wells Fargo Bank to benefit the Leavey/Alanis family survivors.

e-mail: hellojenniferc@msn.com