Edmunston, NB – Building collapses under heavy snow load

Meanwhile, roofs collapse under heavy snow loads in British Columbia.

A downtown building in Edmundston, New Brusnwick, collapsed early Friday, and city police say it was probably because too much snow had piled up on its flat roof.

Insp. Alain Lang of the Edmundston police said there were no injuries, and no one was near the empty building when it came down around 4 a.m.

The building, built at least 115 years ago, is owned by Downtown Edmundston. It was being used for storing tents chairs, tables and other equipment for a farmers market.

Meanwhile, Nakusp, British Columbia, has seen at least three roof collapses due to snow weight in just the last week and a half. The area has received 200 inches of snow in some areas this year

The latest cave in involved the roof covering a wraparound, second-story deck of a house on Shakespeare Road collapsed, said Nakusp Fire Chief Terry Warren.

No one was injured in the collapse, though a truck parked next to the house was damaged. Electricity was cut off to a portion of the house, but the residents are still able to occupy the building, said Warren.

“The heavy snow seems to be really affecting big, long open runs of roof,” said Warren. “We also find that people are losing their gutters, their eavestroughs, to the weight of the snow.”