Snow-covered carport collapses overnight
The proof is in the pictures. KIFI/KIDK has warned for weeks why you need to clear your roofs of snow. And now, there’s visual proof of why you need to do that. A carport collapsed late Friday night.
“Building code requires that structures are built to withstand the maximum recorded snow load,” Roof Rescue owner Mark Franklin said.
But one carport couldn’t stand that test. On Friday night, a couple living at Parkwood Apartments heard a loud rumble then a crash. They came outside to find three cars trapped under the carport.
“You know, cases like the carport — overhangs, things like that — watch for distortion. You know, if it’s bending from the weight of the snow, you need to get the weight off,” Franklin said.
People are advised to carefully monitor the amount snow piling up and how the building is holding up. In this case, the carport had snow up to a foot or more.
“Usually there is some sort of warning. Like, stuff just doesn’t all of a sudden collapse. Usually it flexes or bends or distorts before there’s going to be an issue,” Franklin said.
If you see a big pile of snow on a fixture that could collapse, contact your landlord or a roof contractor to clear the snow for you. Just 20 inches of snow can weigh about 10 pounds per square foot. That means a 20-foot by 20-foot roof with that amount of snow on it, can be supporting about 4,000 pounds.
The apartment’s management called a crew, and it was outside earlier Saturday morning clearing off snow from the rest of the apartment’s carports to prevent any other possible damage.
