Building collapses under heavy snow in South Lake Tahoe

RENO, Nev. (KOLO) - Snow continues to pile up in South Lake Tahoe and one building collapsed under the weight of it.

“A building that was confirmed to be standing a day before was completely flattened,” said South Lake Tahoe Fire Marshal Kim George.

George says it’s so dangerous, they’ll have to wait until the snow melts to complete their investigation.

“The building is now red tagged, so no access but still amazing to see,” she said.

While this is an extreme case, George says it’s a reminder to everyone to clear snow off the roof of your home.

“As a general rule, if you have over three feet of snow on your roof, it’s good to consult a professional on how to deal with that,” George said.

“We don’t recommend people get on their roof, it can be extremely dangerous.”

While the heavy snow could damage a building, it could also slide off and injure someone.

“We’ve had calls, unfortunate calls where people have been injured by that,” she said.

“Especially with a steep roof.”

George says another issue for homeowners is damaged natural gas lines and snowed in exhaust vents.

“It’s not uncommon for that to be blocked,” George said.

“The carbon monoxide will back up into the home so it’s really important that people have a good carbon monoxide detector.”

She says the best way to avoid these issues is to clear snow before the next storm.

“Especially when it’s fresh, the snow is so much easier to move,” she said.

George said South Lake Tahoe Fire has seen an increased number of calls this winter and they’ll continue to respond as quickly as possible.

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