Storm blows roof off N.S. seniors' home

A wind and rain storm blasted Nova Scotia Tuesday, blowing the roof off a seniors' residence, knocking power out for 80,000 people, closing Acadia University and shutting multiple schools.

Overnight, 13 seniors were evacuated from Kingsway Gardens Home in Windsor when the unoccupied rear section of the assisted-living centre collapsed.

One resident described the storm as vicious and frightening. He said the shingles started to blow off before the collapse.

James Oickle, the building manager of the converted motel, was in the rear section after a hole opened up in the roof above a swimming pool.

"I got quite concerned," he said. "There was a good eight-by-10 [foot] piece of the roof missing when I got in. As we were standing there talking, we could literally see the main wall of the pool buckle as the wind blew in on it."

He left the pool area and 10 minutes later heard a "huge bang" as the walls and roof collapsed and filled the empty pool with debris. He realized the area also housed propane tanks. Fearing an explosion, he called 911 and staff and residents quickly left the building.

Albert Bahri, emergency measures co-ordinator for Windsor, said nobody would return to the home until it could be confirmed safe.

"The storm caused a wall and a roof to dislodge from where it should have been and [it] fell into the building on the back section — not in the section where people live, but it's affixed to that piece," said Bahri. "Until a structural engineer can confirm that it's safe, we can't allow the residents to go back in it."

Staff evacuated the residents to a nearby community centre where Red Cross volunteers helped them set up cots. Seven residents slept at the centre while the rest stayed with family.

The area was without power until about 6 a.m.

High winds actually tore roofs from a number of structures, snapped power poles and damaged other facilities like greenhouses.

In Kentville, the roof at the Lindsay Funeral Home blew off. causing an estimated $1 million in damage.

Winds gust up to 140 km/h

Environment Canada issued wind warnings across the Maritimes for the second straight day with gusts up to 140 kilometres an hour.

Transportation was affected across the Maritimes, with ferry services from Nova Scotia to P.E.I., New Brunswick and Newfoundland stopped until conditions improved. Two trucks were blown over on Nova Scotia highways and police warned of a high risk for hydroplaning. P.E.I.'s Confederation Bridge was closed for a time to motorcycles, high-sided vehicles and automobiles towing trailers.

Nova Scotia Power reported 80,000 customers were without power at the peak of the storm. As of 6 p.m. Tuesday, there were still about 30,000 in the dark.

The utility said it could take until noon Wednesday to fully restore electricity to everyone.

Widespread outages in the Annapolis Valley closed Acadia University and Annapolis Valley school board schools. The Chignecto-Central school board also closed schools in Rawdon, Kennetcook, Noel and Maitland.

In Berwick, flash flooding on several streets prompted municipal officials to open the town hall overnight so people could wait there for conditions to improve. The Red Cross also arranged emergency lodging for a number of individuals in the Kentville area when high winds brought trees and live power lines down on top of houses.

In New Brunswick, more than 40 people were evacuated from several dozen homes due to flooding in parts of Fredericton and surrounding areas such as Burtts Corner, Nashwaak Bridge, Tracy and Hoyt.  A church hall in Burtts Corner is being used as a reception centre and shelter.

In the Nashwaak area, an elderly couple was evacuated from their flooded home by volunteer firefighters using a boat.

The town of St. Stephen declared a state of emergency due to flash flooding in several neighbourhoods and part of its business district.