The partial collapse of a dairy farm building in Mountain View County just east of Didsbury highlights the need for residents to be aware of the danger of roofs overloaded with snow, says the owner.
"Mum heard a big bang,î said Mike Moran. "We've never seen anything like this before. We looked out the window and this is what we saw.î
"I would recommend people start shovelling snow off their roofs. That would be a good idea,î he added.
The wood frame barn, located on the Moran property just north of Highway 582, was built in 1998. A south-facing portion of the barn roof collapsed shortly before noon on Jan. 4
Although there were no injuries to people, a dozen cows inside were killed.
About a hundred other cows in the barn at the time are being temporarily housed on neighbours' farms until repairs can be made.
A damage estimate will have to await an insurance assessment, he said, noting that the family plans to rebuild the destroyed section of the barn.
Didsbury fire chief Pat Dodman echoed Moran's comments, saying snow overload on roofs can be a real danger.
"It would be a good idea to take care of those overloaded roofs, as long as it can be done safely,î said Dodman. "We've had more than normal amounts of snow in the region this year so snow loads are quite high on many roofs right now. If there is a lot of snow up there people may want to look at having it cleared.î
However, residents should ensure that if they do decide to have roofs cleared, they put their safety first, he said.
"If they are not sure what they are doing, they might need to call a contractor,î he said.
Two bald eagles were reportedly killed when the roof of the eagle enclosure at the Medicine River Wildlife Centre, west of Bowden, gave way due to snow on Jan. 4.
