02/09/2026
Austin, Texas. Carmen Ramos Hortelano was working on a house still in its framing stage when 50 to 70 mph winds tore through south Austin on August 27.
The entire structure came down.
Four men were working inside when it collapsed. Two escaped. Carmen and one other worker were trapped beneath the wreckage.
Rescue crews from Travis County ESD 5 and Austin Fire Department's Special Operations team worked to stabilize and lift the structure off the men. One survivor was pulled out conscious and airlifted to Dell Seton Medical Center with injuries to his leg and ankle.
Carmen, 37, was pronounced dead at the scene.
His daughter, Dulce, says her father put others first in his final moments, helping others trapped in the collapse before losing his own life.
My dad meant everything to us, she said.
Those who knew Carmen say his actions that day reflected how he lived every day before it. He raised three adopted sons and a daughter, welcomed his wife's family as his own, and was constantly looking for ways to help someone else.
Before he died, he'd been collecting items to sell to help raise money for a friend battling cancer, and often held food sales for people struggling financially.
KB Home, the site's developer, confirmed Carmen was employed by one of its subcontractors and immediately suspended construction. The Travis County Sheriff's Office found no evidence of foul play and referred the case to OSHA, which is investigating whether proper safety measures were followed.
🔗 in comments to help Carmen's family.
