St. Paul officials announced Friday that they've hired an engineering firm firm to examine the Lilydale Park site where two fourth-grade boys were killed in landslide while fossil hunting on a school field trip.
Northern Technologies Inc. has geo-technical expertise, needed to look into the collapse site and the landslide, city officials said.
Friday morning, Gov. Mark Dayton visited the boys' school, Peter Hobart Elementary School in St. Louis Park.
Fossil hunting at the park has been a popular field trip destination for schools, but all permits for the activity have now been canceled, and park access has been closed during the investigation.
Mike Hahm, director of St. Paul Parks and Recreation, said about Northern Technology:
"With particular expertise in the evaluation of collapses and natural disasters, we expect their work to provide us with a better comprehension of what caused this tragic accident."
The city expects a report from the firm in the next several weeks. The city is also working with the state Department of Natural Resources in the investigation into the incident.