CPD reports 3 rooftop accidents, 1 fatality in past week

The inherent dangers of rooftop snow removal came into glaring focus in Canton over the past week as local authorities reported three serious falls within a span of four days, including one on Will Drive on Sunday that claimed the life of a Medfield man.

Roof collapses and falls have become increasingly common due to the historic snowfall. (CFD photo)

An initial media release from the Canton Police Department had indicated that a second victim had also died; however, that individual — a male worker who fell from a roof while clearing snow at the Draper Knitting Company on the morning of February 18 — is reportedly alive and recovering after being med-flighted to a Boston area hospital.

“According to the people I spoke to [on Monday], he is alive and doing better,” Canton Deputy Police Chief Helena Rafferty said of the second victim, who was identified in the initial release as a male “approximately 35 years of age.”

Regarding the incident on Will Drive, Rafferty confirmed that the victim, identified as 42-year-old Sean Corrigan, was pronounced dead at Good Samaritan Hospital in Brockton.

Corrigan, according to the CPD media release, was on the roof of a warehouse at 146 Will Drive assessing snow removal operations with a co-worker when he walked across a skylight and fell approximately 40 feet to the ground. The skylight, according to police, was covered by the snow and gave way when Corrigan stepped down on it.

A native of County Mayo, Ireland, Corrigan was a husband and a father of three. He was also survived by his mother, 14 siblings, and several in-laws, cousins, nieces and nephews.

Rafferty characterized his death as a “tragic, weather-related accident,” and the Canton Police on Sunday offered their “deepest condolences” to Corrigan’s family.

Meanwhile, in a separate incident just one day earlier, a Canton woman had to be hospitalized after she fell from her roof while attempting to clear snow. The woman, who lives on Tucker Road (off Indian Lane), suffered non-life-threatening injuries, according to police.

In a statement, the Canton Police said that all three incidents “highlight unprecedented concerns and hidden dangers that have come with the brutal weather conditions we have been experiencing.”

“As we have been communicating this week, we urge people to use extreme caution while attempting to clear snow and ice from their roofs,” stated the police. “We recommend homeowners contact professionals to assist with snow removal and whenever possible to work in pairs of at least two people.”

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Posted by Jay Turner on Feb 26 2015. Filed under News, Police & Fire. Both comments and pings are currently closed.