EAST PALMYRA, N.Y. -- The Canandaigua City School District confirms the man killed Monday when the porch of a house collapsed on him was a foreign language teacher who had worked for the district for 20 years.
Troopers say Peter Nelson, 54, was working on the roof on South Creek Road in Palmyra when it fell away from the building and pinned him underneath. When troopers arrived, Nelson was already deceased.
Canandaigua Superintendent Lynne Erdle said they are taking steps to make sure there are counselors at every school in the district to help staff and students cope with the loss.
Mr. Nelson taught Spanish and German, most recently at the Canandaigua Academy.
Neighbors in East Palmyra are reeling from the death.
"Pete's a close friend,” said Robert Colletta, a neighbor and friend of 15 years. “School teacher, I believe it's Canandaigua, German teacher, real humanitarian, takes care of countless stray cats. He's got dogs and so forth. He was always good to animals and just a really good neighbor."
Tears were all Colletta could muster Monday night as he described how he found Nelson unresponsive under Nelson's collapsed porch roof.
“I went around through the side of the house because obviously the front door was blocked,” Colletta said. “I told Kelly to call 911 and open the front door and Peter was underneath the roof. We tried and tried until the fire department arrived."
Colletta said he noticed the roof sagging earlier in the day. He said when Nelson’s wife Kelly came by his place to see if he was there, Colletta noticed it had collapsed.
"I wouldn't want to estimate the weight, but I would say there had to be a couple of tons of ice and snow on top of the roof,” Colletta said.
Now he said he can't believe he's gone.
“He helped me out when I needed help, and I helped him out whenever he needed help,” Colletta said. “They were always there. If you wanted them, if you needed something, Pete would have been the first one to come over and give you a hand."
According to police, the investigation is ongoing.