HOUSTON -- OSHA investigators are on the Rice University campus to investigate the dorm collapse that killed one worker and injured seven others Thursday.

It happened at a new dormitory that was under construction.

"When the storm came through, it blew over four walls," said Rice University spokesperson B.J. Almond.

The walls and scaffolding crumbled onto workers.

“I didn’t see anything. I just heard what sounded like a big explosion," said one witness named Stephen.

Some of the injured men were able to get out on their own.

Firefighters rescued four others who were trapped in the rubble. One-by one, they lowered them to the ground on gurneys.

It was too late to save one man who's name won't be released until his relatives are notified.

Six patients were taken to Ben Taub and Memorial Hermann hospitals in the Texas Medical Center, just blocks away.

AIR 11

A patient is lowered to the ground after being freed from the rubble of the dorm collapse.

All six remained in the hospital Thursday night, but are expected to survive.

A seventh injured worker was treated at the scene.

The workers were hired by Linbeck Construction.

"Our hearts go out to the families," said John Barnes with Linbeck. "Safety is our number one priority."

It's not clear if the collapse is related to severe weather rolling through the area at the time, but that is one possibility.

"We did have a report of a 60 mile-an-hour wind gust at a school near Rice," said 11 News Meteorologist Gene Norman, who suggested that a microburst could have been responsible.

The accident occurred at McMurtry College, a 324-bed residential college that is scheduled to open in fall 2009.

The worksite is shut down until at least Monday.