'Beautiful' US sisters crushed to death in 'freak' hammock accident

Scout, left, and Chasey Scaravilli.
Scout, left, and Chasey Scaravilli. Photo credit: Fox 8

Two young sisters from the US have died after being crushed by a brick pillar while relaxing in a hammock.

Chasey, 12, and Scout Scaravilli, 14, were reclining in the hammock together at their home in Ohio when the tragedy struck, Fox 8 reports.

About 7:45pm on Sunday (local time), the brick pillar supporting the hammock collapsed on top of them.

They were freed by emergency services and rushed to the hospital but died a few hours later.

The girls' father, JJ, described his daughters as "beautiful people".

"I'm going to miss them terribly," he told local news station WKYC.

"My children are going to miss them, my wife is going to miss them."

The girls' school, Hathaway Brown, issued a statement following the tragedy paying tribute to the "warm hearted" and "vibrant" sisters.

"They will be greatly missed by so many friends, classmates, and teachers," head of school Fran Bisselle said.

Chasey and Scout's deaths are still being investigated but investigators believe it was a "freak accident", Fox reports.