SAN ANTONIO – UPDATE: The Medical Examiner's Office identified the contractor as 41-year-old Jose Luna-Acosta.
(Previously)
A contractor was killed Friday morning after a house partially collapsed on him while he worked, officials said.
When emergency crews arrived at the home at the intersection of North Calaveras and Texas Avenue around 9 a.m., they found the flooring had partially collapsed, trapping the contractor from the shoulders up, San Antonio Fire Department spokesman Joe Arrington said.
"It appears they were trying to level the foundation of the home (with jacks)," Arrington said.
“What collapsed is where the construction materials were being stored inside the home,” Arrington said. “That added weight on the floor and caused it to collapse. Well, that and being separated from the foundation of the home while it was being leveled.”
The homeowner said her family used the house for storage but were fixing it up.
People nearby tried unsuccessfully to free the man, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Firefighters used airbags to lift the debris off of his body before removing it shortly before 11 a.m..
The victim has not been officially identified, though Arrington said he was in his 20s or 30s.