By Allan Jamail
Jacinto City, Texas – On Saturday, May 11, 2019, at about 6 PM — a busy time for shoppers — the El Ahorro Supermarket store #6, located at 10341 Palestine Street, had about 200 feet of the roof awning covering the sidewalk collapse. The awning fell on four vehicles, while no one was inside them or on the sidewalk.
Jacinto City’s Police Chief Joe Ayala and Fire Chief Rebecca Mier both came to the scene and said no one reported being injured.
During the week leading up to the collapse, the Jacinto City area had received about 9 inches of rainfall. According to Lon Squyres, the City Manager, the initial thought is the awning is made of stucco material and it might have absorbed rain water to the degree that the extra added weight could have caused the structure to give way. The official cause is under investigation.