Posted on 02/15/2010 3:53:34 AM PST by RS_Rider
About 100 people were inside the Rostraver Gardens — some waiting for another of Sunday's youth hockey games to begin; others attending a private party in a banquet room — when the roof started falling down around them and sending them fleeing for their lives.
"This could have been tragic," said Justin Shawley, assistant chief of the Rostraver Central Volunteer Fire Department, after learning that nobody was hurt or injured when about one-third of the roof — a 100- by 200-foot section — began to collapse.
Shawley said he believes a build-up of ice and snow on the roof — which resembles a domed aircraft hangar — was a factor in the collapse of the building, which is about 50 years old. However, the exact cause has not been determined.
The collapse "couldn't have happened at a better time," said David Soltesz, 35, of North Versailles, who was at the arena with his wife, Dana, 36, to watch their 8-year-old son play in one of the tournament games sponsored by Advanced Arenas Inc. that attracted teams from as far away as Canada and Philadelphia. "It happened right in between games."
"Throughout the game before us, we heard cracking and thought it was ice sliding down the sides (of the roof) so no one thought much of it. A couple of parents came in saying, 'This doesn't sound right,'" Soltesz said. As time passed, the sounds became more frequent and louder
(Excerpt) Read more at pittsburghlive.com ...
I gather this is in PA somewhere?
A suburb of Pittsburgh.
I am not hopping aboard the Global Hobo Express but I do think we will experience more EXTREME differential weather patterns, it will be a stronger winter AND summer.
I will take action upon my homestead in such as to look far ahead into consideration of more snow loading, more heat in the summer.
Being in Alaska I already have a home that surpasses the building codes in the insulation factor and the snow load rating, I do not bother shoveling snow off the roof if it 2’ thick, only if there is rain on top of snow will I shovel, my roof is designed for that kind of weight. But for insurance I may add some defrosting cables and some more side wall outer insulation.
Also more backup systems like LED lamps on alternate 12 volt power sources, a more advanced wood burning stove and a backup power source for my well.
If you don't believe it, upon what are you basing your claim?
Also, your tag is wrong. Pres. Bush said “WITH the terrorists” not “FOR” the terrorists.
Base what claims? That we did not get more snow than usual in places that rarely even see snow? Seems to me there has been quite a lot of snow lately.
Or more rain in places that have been dry?
In the last couple of years that is all I have seen in the lower 48, a little bit harder of a winter and a hotter summer, though its arguable that these very extremes so to speak are in actuality the norms of weather in the past.
So arguably these new weather patterns are nothing more than what weather was a decade or more ago. I see the opposite here in Alaska, we used to have cold cold winters, we have not, we used to have warm though short summers, we have not, if anything I will agree that Alaska has indeed felt effects of any global warming claims.
Be careful, high blood pressure can cause health problems.
It’s called weather.
I was hoping to get more feedback from the structural guys than the weather folks. Here in Pittsburgh, we have an unusual amount of accumulated snow laying around and more to come before a thawing. I expect that there will be more structural failures to come. Auto Show is now at the convention center witch had a floor collapse a couple of years ago. I would not enter that building on a bet.
I would keep an eye on the weather conditions, any rain on snow will make it many times heavier, my roof will support easily 5’ of dry Alaska snow, or more. But what you folks get down there is airborne oatmeal.
I would err on the side of caution for awhile and stay away from large places that still have snow on the roofs.
We’re in for a hell of a flood if this stuff melts quickly.
Personally I would like to see it flood our tunnel to nowhere!
I’m in a literal remote position being in Alaska, our weather is very different, our building codes different and we are different because we are used to handling what is happening in the lower 48.
My house actually has a outside entry door hanging up out in the open on my second floor, it opens to space, it was put in just in the event of heavy snow, never had to use it though, the people who built the house were from England. However a bit south around Valdez and Whittier you would need to that on not just the 2nd floor but a 3rd story as well, they really get that much snow, over 85’!
Our building principles in the ‘Burgh are a little different.
Primarily based on graft, bribes, corruption and organized crime labor. When put to the test sometimes they fail.
Thats tough I know, I have lived in Illinois, Texas,and Louisiana. Some places are better but you are right, its a big reason why I moved where its not totally better but usually not to be, we get enough earthquakes up here anything shoddy will know its end right away.
I manage a concrete batch plant and we absolutely NEVER cut corners on the quality of our materials. I have left bigger outfits when they swapped safety for revenue.
Thank you, Lord!
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