An email forwarded to us from the Rice University president’s office:

This afternoon around 4 p.m. cinder-block walls under construction on the west side of the second floor of McMurtry College collapsed during a severe thunderstorm. According to police reports from the scene, eight construction workers are believed to have been injured: one was pronounced dead at the scene, four were taken from the site on stretchers and transported to the hospital and three walked from the scene and were treated at the site before being taken to the hospital. No further information is available about the injured people at this point. Everyone at Rice University is shocked and saddened by the accident and sends their prayers and best wishes to the workers and their families.

• One dead in Rice University wall collapse [abc13]
• 1 Killed, 7 Hurt In Rice University Building Collapse [Click2Houston]
• Worker dies during construction of Rice dorm [Houston Chronicle]