2 separate homes collapse in Philadelphia in 24 hours

KENSINGTON (WPVI) -- A man was injured when his house collapsed in Kensington and that was just one of two collapses in Philadelphia in the same day.

The most recent incident happened around 8:30 Saturday morning in the 600 block of Union Street in Mantua.

Fortunately officials say the home was vacant and there were no injuries.

However that's not the case in Kensington where a homeowner was seriously injured when his home collapsed with him in it.

It happened around 4:30 Saturday morning in the 2700 block of Emerald Street.

The dramatic scene was captured on video by an Action News viewer.

"Out of nowhere, we hear a boom and then I woke up. My brother already woke up and he said, 'What happened?' and I said 'I don't know,'" said Keisha Santaella, neighbor.

"And I woke up my husband up and said, 'Eric's house fell!' Then we came outside screaming, 'Eric! Eric! Eric!" said Norma Flores, neighbor.

The footage shows the homeowner, identified as 43-year-old Eric Carroll, trying to climb out of the debris.

His sister says he was partially paralyzed on his right side before the collapse and was having a hard time getting out.

"Thank God he's alive. Thank God he's alive - that's it," said Amy Carroll, sister.

Relatives say Carroll recently lost his mother, his best friend and an aunt all within the last few months.

Now they say he not only lost his house but he has a broken back and will undergo surgery on Sunday.

Family members say the city had recently warned him that his home was in imminent danger of collapse and that he needed to get out.

"His house has been falling down since I was little. It's been tipped to the side. Everybody has been trying to tell him that his house was going to fall down but he just ignored it," said Mariana Feliciano, neice.

Relatives say there is a 50-50 chance that Carroll will walk again. For now they are holding onto hope.