Patrick Warns About Roof Collapses

As more winter weather heads for the state this weekend, Gov. Deval Patrick warned Massachusetts residents to watch for signs that a roof might be about to collapse.

On Friday, Patrick stood in front of an imploded Quonset Hut, a long, round steel tube with arched ribs that housed a battery company in Auburn.

The people working inside survived because they did what the governor is telling everyone to do.

"If anyone starts to hear this kind of cracking," Patrick said, "get out of the building as quickly as possible, and then call 911."

The state has already seen 80 roof collapses from heavy snow.

Patrick also warned people to pay attention if their doors jam or open spontaneously as these are also warning signs of a possible impending roof collapse.

The situation for roofs could get even worse as another storm heads for the state. Forecasters say the Boston area will get mostly rain Saturday.

WCVB-TV meteorologist Mike Wankum says the storm will start around noon Saturday.

"For most of this it's going to be a rain event. And you say, 'Oh, thank goodness,' but that's not such a great thing because the storm drains are still clogged," Wankum said. "We saw that earlier this week, we had all that flooding in the roadways."