The Phoenix community was rocked by tragedy after the collapse of a warehouse following a severe monsoon storm. FOX 10 Phoenix reported that on July 27, rescue crews located what they believe to be the body of 22-year-old Oswaldo Montoya, who had been missing since July 24. Montoya, a forklift operator who worked at the site for over a year, was considered an "amazing man" and "amazing dad" by Phoenix Fire Captain Todd Keller. "A little after 1 o'clock, our crews identified a victim we believe to be Oswaldo, the unaccounted for employee. PD has taken over the investigation. They will be working with the medical examiner to confirm the identity," Keller stated during a press conference.
During this heart-wrenching time, Montoya's family awaited updates on the effort to locate him in the debris of the Freeport warehouse. According to a FOX 10 Phoenix interview, the victim's sister, Judith, expressed her grief and gratitude, stating, "I wanted to say thank you because I know a lot of people sent their prayers and their love spiritually, you know, and for me that means a lot because I believe in God and I know God works in mysterious ways, and we'll never understand why my brother ... but we know everything happens for a reason."
The collapse occurred on the evening of July 24, when a microburst struck the warehouse on the corner of 43rd Avenue and Polk Street. Montoya was employing as a forklift operator at the time of the collapse, working the night shift. According to 12 News, the Phoenix Fire Department utilized cranes and other heavy equipment ultimately leading to the discovery, after an arduous effort, close to the center of the warehouse where he was reported to be working.
Montoya had recently become a father, with his son being just two weeks old at the time of the incident. His family, fraught with concern and hope, stood vigil as the Phoenix Fire Department searched for the missing worker. The rescue mission took a focused turn after two search dogs hit on the same spot, as reported by FOX 10 Phoenix. Complications arose due to the instability of the collapsed structure, yet with the unyielding efforts of the rescue team, a path was carved through the rubble leading to where they believed Montoya laid. The Phoenix Police Department is now overseeing the continuation of the investigation in collaboration with the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office to confirm the identity and determine a cause of death.
Montoya's loss is not only a tragic blow to his family but echoes as a somber reminder of the precariousness of life amidst the frenzy of nature's wrath. As stated by his sister Marian in a statement obtained by FOX 10 Phoenix, "God is giving us strength. He's giving us the strength. This is a very hard moment, but we feel him. He's with us."
