Two separate school roof collapses, caused by severe weather and snow, killed one woman and closed another school for repairs.
A West Virginia woman died after she was hit with debris from a collapsing school gymnasium roof. Patricia Lynn Sabo, 35, was walking someone to a car following a funeral service for her brother, which was held at the Twin Branch Pentecostal Christian Academy. Authorities said no students were in the gym.
Extremely high winds were thought to have contributed to the roof’s collapse, authorities said.
Officials said emergency personnel were working to see if anyone else was in the gymnasium at the time it collapsed. One other person was taken to the hospital for potential injuries or side effects from a medical condition.
The storms that ripped through West Virginia on Feb. 11 caused one of the largest power outages in the state in many years.
Officials with Appalachian Power and Allegheny Energy said at least 121,000 customers were without electricity early today. Dozens of schools across the state were closed on Feb. 12 because of power outages.
Students in a Saskatchewan school had a day off on Feb. 11 while crews worked to repair the roof over the automotive shop, which had collapsed Feb. 10, in the Estevan Comprehensive High School. School officials said the school would reopen on Feb. 12 after evaluation by a structural engineer.
Students were in the automotive shop at the time, but quickly evacuated and no one was hurt. School officials praised the teacher’s quick thinking and calm following the incident.
A recent heavy snow may have been to blame. Nothing from the above floor came through the ceiling, although school personnel said a sprinkler line broke, flooding the classroom.
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