2 men crushed when house being raised after Harvey falls

HOUSTON — Two men working to lift a house onto a higher foundation after being flooded by Hurricane Harvey have died when the house fell on them.

Harris County emergency officials say the accident happened just after 11 a.m. Thursday when the jacks being used to lift the house collapsed in a suburban Houston subdivision near Bush Intercontinental Airport.

The house dropped about three feet onto the men.

Assistant Chief Al Sterkx of the Harris County Emergency Services District 10 said emergency crews had to use special equipment to lift the house off the men.

No identities have been released.

Amanda Guthrie is a sister-in-law of one of the victims. She says the two men were part of a four-man crew that volunteered to help their neighbour with his house.