Snow-Covered Roofs Causing Injuries, Deaths in Massachusetts

Image via MEMA

The snow accumulating on rooftops in Massachusetts has finally reached its tipping point.

Two people died in separate incidents in Canton, buildings have been destroyed and even two horses died after a barn roof collapsed on them in Westford on Friday.

To put the amount of weight many roofs are under into perspective: one cubic foot of snow can weigh up to 62.4 pounds, according to a report by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

There have been 131 reports roof collapses since Monday, Feb. 9, Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency reported on Sunday.

People have fallen to their deaths or have been injured from attempting to remove snow from rooftops:

• One person in Canton died when he walked across a skylight covered in snow and fell 40 feet to the ground on Sunday.
• Another person in Canton died when he fell from the roof while clearing snow at Draper Brothers Company on Draper Lane on Wednesday.
• A Burlington town worker was injured after he fell about 35 feet through a snow-covered skylight while clearing snow from the roof of a town-owned warehouse.
• A person suffered a minor leg injury after falling from the roof of the Swampscott Police Station.

Here are a few other instances:

• Two horses were killed when a barn collapsed at a ranch in Westford on Friday. Another barn collapsed at the same ranch on Sunday night. No animals or people were injured in the second collapse.
• The roof of a horse barn collapsed in Andover on Sunday morning. There were no injuries.
• The roof of the garden center at Lowe’s Home Improvement store in Framingham collapsed on Sunday night. Framingham also reported a porch collapse earlier in the day on Sunday.
• Two other roof collapses took place at Lowe’s Home Improvement stores. The roof of a Warwick store collapsed early Sunday, and the roof of the garden center at a Seekonk store collapsed on Monday, Feb. 16, WPRI reported.
• The roof of a historical building in Hingham collapsed on Tuesday, Feb. 10. The building building was then demolished.

Additional injuries and deaths from snow removal efforts can be preventable if homeowners, business owners and tenants hire professionals to do the job, according to MEMA.

Flat and low pitched roofs are most likely to buckle under heavy snow and ice accumulations. Removing snow will reduce the dangers of a structural collapse.

MEMA provided residents with Do’s and Don’ts of removing snow and ice from roofs, as well as how to recognize telltale signs of a potential roof collapse:

• Read here: Public Safety Advisory On Potential Roof Collapses

If you are experiencing roof problems, remember to call your local building or fire official, or if there is imminent danger, evacuate the building and call 911.

Roofs aren’t the only problem to look out for: the Department of Fire Services has received many reports of gas leaks and fires caused by snow and icicles falling on gas piping and meters, MEMA reported.

Read more stories on roof collapses and people falling from rooftops on Patch:

• Two People Die in Falls from Roofs in Canton
• Man Falls Through Skylight Removing Snow from Roof
• Person Falls From Roof of Police Station
• Tragedy in Westford as Barn Collapses, Killing 2 Horses
• Another Barn Collapses at Westford Ranch Where 2 Horses Died
• Lowe’s Garden Center Roof Collapses from Weight of Snow
• Fire Department Responds to Report of Porch Collapse
• UPDATED: Horse Barn Roof Collapse on Jenkins Road, Horses Rescued
• After Roof Collapse, Lincoln Building to be Torn Down