Snow collapses roofs in Buffalo

BUFFALO, N.Y. - Roofs began to creak and collapse and homeowners struggled to clear waist-high drifts atop their houses Thursday as another storm brought the Buffalo area's three-day snowfall total to an epic 7 feet or more.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo begged drivers "pretty, pretty please" to stay off slippery, car-clogged roads in western New York while crews tried to dig out. Some areas got close to 3 feet of new snow by Thursday afternoon.

Things could quickly get worse: Rain and temperatures as high as 60 degrees were forecast over the weekend, raising the specter of flooding and an even heavier load on roofs, where the snow could absorb the downpours like a blanket.

More than 50 people were evacuated from several mobile-home parks in suburban Cheektowaga and West Seneca because roofs were buckling. Bellevue Fire Department Lt. Timothy Roma said more than a dozen buildings and carports collapsed, as did a metal warehouse operated by a Christmas decorations company, where damage was estimated in the millions.

Local media reported that about 180 residents of a Cheektowaga assisted living facility were evacuated after staff members noticed the ceiling bulging under the weight of the snow.

Homeowners and store employees around the region climbed onto roofs to shovel off the snow and reduce the danger.

The storms were blamed for at least 10 deaths in western New York, mostly from heart attacks and exposure.

Some Buffalo-area schools were closed for the third day.

With roads impassable, driving bans in effect and the Buffalo Bills' stadium buried in snow, the NFL decided to move the home game against the New York Jets to another location.

The team intends to travel to Detroit on Friday and play their "home" game against the New York Jets on Monday night.

The Detroit Lions are at New England on Sunday.