Residents, businesses warned to clear snow-laden roofs

He said officials have become increasingly concerned as parts of the state have received up to 80 inches of snow in the past few weeks — with little melting. "As we get more snow, this will be more of a concern," he said.

The roofs of commercial buildings in Rockland and Quincy collapsed Monday morning. No one was injured, and gas leaks from ruptured lines were halted.

The roof on a home in Weymouth also appeared to be on the verge of collapsing, Judge said. The home was evacuated and no one was injured there, either.

At least eight people were inside the commercial building on Weymouth Street in Rockland when it collapsed, said Rockland Fire Chief Scott Duffey.

"They said it sounded like a freight train,'' Duffey said. "We didn't have to get any victims out, which was nice.''

Duffey said the roof had a small slope but lacked a steep enough angle to allow the snow to slide off. He estimated that about 3½ feet of snow had accumulated on the roof when it collapsed.

Tommy Scolaro, the building's owner, maintained a brave face as he surveyed his pancaked building. A team of sheet metal workers in the 30,000-square foot space fled at about 7:30 a.m. when a ceiling exhaust fan fell to the floor. The building collapsed soon afterward.

"I'm thinking about building a snowman holding a white flag out front," Scolaro joked. "There's just so much snow."

He added: "Thank God no one was hurt."

Scolaro called the building a "cheap, metal construction" and said it was built in the 1980s. He said the roof of a similar building nearby collapsed two years ago. Still, he was reluctant to go on the roof or send someone there to clear it of snow.

"It's like a skating rink up there," he said. "Very dangerous."

Scolaro, who owns United HVAC, which had been in the building, said he was seeking new space to keep his business running.

"We'll keep going," he said, smiling as snow continued to fall.

In Quincy, the roof that collapsed was on a building at the former Fore River shipyard, which police said served last fall as the set of a Walt Disney movie, "The Finest Hours," scheduled to open in October.

If the region continues to get more snow, especially if it's wetter and heavier, Monday's failed roofs could be a sign of things to come.

In 2011, a succession of powerful storms caused nearly 200 snow-covered roofs to fail, which was unprecedented.

A Boston Globe review of the damaged properties found that most were older commercial or industrial buildings. Of the buildings whose age could be established through local tax information, 80 percent were constructed before 1975, the year the statewide building code went into effect. The building code has become more stringent since then.

In recent days, roofing companies in the area have been inundated with calls from property owners seeking help.

"We've gotten almost 300 calls in the past week," said Jay Bullens, the owner of Able Roofing in Canton.

Bullens called the number of calls "extreme," and said they were mainly from people worried about the weight of the snow on their roofs.

Officials at WM. Connell in Needham said they have been receiving 60 to 80 calls a day recently. "Most people are calling because they are getting a leak due to snow and ice backup," said Ben Connell, the owner.

On Cape Cod, Cazeault Roofing in Osterville was also receiving calls from officials at local schools, many of which have flat roofs.

"The snow doesn't slide off," said Russell Cazeault, the owner. "It piles up, and then if it rains, it acts like a sponge."