Snow causes horse stable roof to collapse

The warming weather is causing a major melt and that's meant trouble for many businesses and homeowners.

Roofs have been collapsing in areas around the city including one at a horse stable in Parkland County west of Edmonton over the weekend.

The collapse just narrowly missed the 80 prized quarter horses inside.

"It was absolutely amazing," said Theresa Dykes with Topnotch Performance Horses.

"The load from the arena should have taken down the south rooth where the horses were, we should have been digging horses out instead of the tractor... we feel very fortunate."

The damage at the stable is being estimated at $50,000 but no people or horses were injured.

That collapse comes after one last Friday when the roof of an autobody shop in Spruce Grove came down with employees and customers inside.

The heavy snow has kept rooftop snow removal companies busy.

Gil Olson with Advanced Roofing Systems Ltd. says his company's had thousands of calls in about clearing snow from roofs.

"We're extremely busy, busier than we've ever been," Olson said. "We're getting jams on calls which is too much for us."

Olson said while the weight of snow is a problem, the warmer weather is also going to cause snow to melt and leak into homes.

With long wait times expected for professional roof clearing services, officials are advising home and business owners to try and safely do it themselves.