NORTH MASSAPEQUA, N.Y., Jan. 12 -- A large section of a Long Island supermarket roof collapsed Friday evening, spilling debris and snow into the checkout area and injuring about 10 people. Nassau County police said the front portion of the roof at the Waldbaum Supermarket in North Massapequa, N.Y., caved in just after 5 p. m., apparently giving way under the weight of rain-soaked snow.
Witnesses shopping in the store reported hearing a prolonged rumbling noise before the roof fell, giving many of them time to flee the store, which was not crowded. 'We're very fortunate, perhaps because of the weather, that there were not very many people in the building when this happened,' detective Frank O'Connor said. Dozens of fire engines, police cars and ambulances rushed to the scene to assist the shoppers and workers. One woman was briefly trapped, but rescuers were able to free her, and she was not seriously injured. Police said about 10 people were hurt and none of the injuries were life-threatening. A spokeswoman for Massapequa General Hospital said doctors were treating four patients, and another dozen were on the way. She said the victims were not critically injured. New York City and its suburbs were hit with about two feet of snow during a blizzard on Sunday and Monday. Another two inches of snow fell Friday morning before the precipitation gave way to rain in the afternoon. Local officials had warned that the weather could cause roof collapses and many homeowners and business people began shoveling snow off the tops of their buildings earlier in the week.
