Despite rescuers’ desperate efforts, the second of two horses trapped after their barn was engulfed in a sinkhole died Nov. 15. According an Associated Press report, the sinkhole in Sanford, Fla. was 50 feet wide and 30 feet deep.

The barn’s owner, Bob Bonwit, came home Thursday evening, Nov. 14 and discovered the sinkhole had engulfed his barn, and that two of his horses were at the bottom of the pit, which was rapidly filling with groundwater. Seventeen-year-old Jack drowned before rescue personnel arrived, and rescuers tried throughout Friday to free 13-year-old Magic.

According to the article, rescue workers were able to put a harness on Magic body early Friday morning and tried to lift him out of the hole, but his back legs were stuck in the mud. Eventually he died from internal injuries.

“Sinkholes occur when sand beneath the surface begins to erode and falls into underlying limestone cavities, causing the surface to collapse,” said the article. “Several factors may contribute to the collapse, including drought, excessive water pumping, traffic, construction or heavy rain