‘I Was Scared. It Was a Big Noise That Woke Me Up:' Man's Ceiling Collapses, Trapping Him in Home

A San Ysidro man is counting his blessings, after his living room ceiling collapsed, trapping him in his home for nearly a half-hour.

The collapse happened very early Wednesday morning.

Luis Campa's favorite chair is in front of his television in the living room. Every night he sits in it and watches TV. Thankfully though, he wasn’t in it Wednesday morning, because the consequences could have been dire.

Feeling unusually tired Wednesday night Luis Campa turned in early but was startled awake just after midnight.

“I was scared. It was a big noise that woke me up, " Campa said.

More than a couple hundred pounds of drywall, wood framing, and insulation came crashing down in the living room damaging doors, his chair, and sofa.

"This big noise, boom. I wake up it was the whole ceiling right her a in the middle shut the doors and I couldn't see," Campa said.

Unable to move the debris, Luis was trapped in his bedroom for more than a half-hour.

He called friends and family, but no one answered. Finally, he called his fire department neighbor, not 100 feet away.

"Thank you, Lord, for the fire department because they bring me out, " Campa said.

Not only that, firefighters stuck around to help remove much of the debris and clean up.

Luis is keenly aware of what could have happened had he been in his usual spot in front of the TV.

"I'd be in the hospital right now for sure," Campa said.

As it is Campa and his wife will have to find somewhere else to stay for a month, maybe two while the home is put back together.

" I feel kind of lucky I thank God I am still here talking to you guys, " Campa said.

Turns out, all Campa's friends, he was trying to reach were celebrating Mexico's Independence day. His wife was in Tijuana visiting his grandkids.