Worker killed in Cherry Hill collapse ID'd

CHERRY HILL, N.J. (WPVI) -- Authorities have released the name of the man who died after a building under demolition collapsed in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.

The Camden County Prosecutor's Office says 38-year-old Jose Ortega of Camden was killed instantly in the accident.

Crews were near the end of the demolition when the building unexpectedly came down around 12:30 p.m. Friday.

It happened at the site of a former Blockbuster video rental store in the 500 block of Route 38.

Rescuers say a trench on the site collapsed and the building also came down.

Chief Patrick Kelly from the Cherry Hill Fire Dept. explains, "This is probably towards the end of the demolition part. Someone was working in the area and a wall collapsed...they were trapped under the wall."

Sources tell Action News Ortega was killed when he was crushed under the weight of a concrete block wall.

Another worker, a backhoe operator, was transported to Kennedy Hospital with non life-threatening injuries.

Demolition sites have come under scrutiny since the Salvation Army collapse in Philadelphia a year ago that killed six and injured more than a dozen others.

What happened today and how it could have been prevented are unclear. The Camden County Prosecutors Office and OSHA are investigating.

"We did check with the Building Department. They did have all the proper permits, all the proper licensing. So they were permitted and licensed to do this type of work," Chief Kelly said.

Action News obtained a copy of the permit, which listed Carl R Pursell Incorporated as the general contractor on record. However, it is unclear if that company hired a subcontractor.

We reached out to Purcell but our call has not yet been returned.