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caption:
Ice &
Snow
Damage
Left: A "waterfall" of ice in downtown Putnam, "falling" toward Canal Street. Below: The rear section of the former Gene's Furniture. Linda Lemmon photos.
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
Stress cracks, leaning, sagging, and outright building collapses in the winter-weary Quiet Corner continue, despite the recent warm-up over the weekend.
Lee Post, building official for Putnam, Pomfret and Thompson, said the weight of snow and ice, along with added weight from the warm rains, are still a danger and must be dealt with.
Despite the warmth and rain, he said, he recommends that building owners have their roofs cleaned off.
Structural engineers and building officials were running 210 all week long as roofs leaked, cracked or fell.
Post said he received a 2 a.m. call from the Putnam Price Chopper after there was a concern about the integrity of the supermarket's roof. Post said the roof was cleared off and an engineer signed off on the roof and the store reopened.
Putnam Supermarket faced a similar problem Saturday. The overhang over the entrance doors were shored up and more snow was removed from its flat roof and it reopened.
Post said that the clear span roof measuring 50 by 100 feet over a pool on Hurry Hill Road in Putnam collapsed late last week, damaging the pool.
In Pomfret, Post said, a barn at the corner of Rt. 44 and Covell Road collapsed. It was a truss structure. There were no injuries, although the items in storage were damaged.
Officials at Pomfret Community School spotted some stress cracks last Friday, Post said, and the students were sent home. An engineer checked out the roof and the school was reopened Feb. 7.
Pomfret School Superintendent Richard E. Packman said, in a letter to the school community: "February 4, Mr. Ric Rovero, structural engineer from Provost & Rovero, Inc. completed an inspection of our school roof and building because of a concern for stress cracks reported in the gym, nurse’s office and other areas of the school. School was dismissed early for precautionary measures and for student and staff safety. Mr. Rovero reported to Mr. Brock, our supervisor of Buildings and Grounds, that the roof and building is safe and can easily handle the snow loads we are experiencing. His report will show that the cracks are normal under the changing temperatures and shifts which occur. Many of the cracks observed already existed and were exacerbated by water and ice. Mr. Rovero recommended clearing snow drifts which accumulate in the valleys of the roof where the roof lines meet and cause uneven snow loads." Packman said Brock and his crews did that work Feb. 6 and school was open for business the next day, Monday, Feb. 7.
In Woodstock, middle and elementary school students did not attend school Friday, Feb. 4, as stress cracks were found in both school.
In a message to the school community Feb. 4, Francis A. Baran, Ph.D., Woodstock's school superintendent, reported that Peter Celella of Szewczak Associates Consulting Engineers found the middle school did not have any issues and that school was "cleared for occupancy."
Celella did have two areas of concern at the elementary school. Baran said Celella "identified cracks in two valley rafters in the South wing. Mr. Celella does not believe that these cracks are related to the present accumulation of snow. He recommended that the rafters be reinforced." Baran said the reinforcement was done by Woodstock Building Associates. Once that was done, Celella said the "south end section of the building was cleared for occupancy." Baran added Celella said the roofs at the elementary school "are able to carry the load being exerted by the present snowfalls." Celella also recommended that all drains and ice jams be cleared. Baran said the district's snow removal contractor removed the snow from the flat roofs at the elementary school.
Both schools were open for business Monday, Feb. 7.