Close Call For Hall Lake School Custodian

Close Call For Hall Lake School Custodian

Thursday, February 03, 2005 at 14:14

The principal of Sally Ross School in Hall Lake says it was a close call Monday afternoon when one of his workers nearly suffocated under an avalanche of snow.

Pat Cardinal says he was outside watching maintenance workers Ben Roberts and Kitchener Ross clear snow off the roof when a large section suddenly gave way.

Ross was able to jump clear of the falling snow, but Roberts fell straight to the ground and was immediately buried.

Cardinal says it was ten minutes before he and Ross were able to dig Roberts out.

By that time, more help had arrived — including the school nurse — who helped care for the injured man until an ambulance came.

Roberts is expected to recover.

Meanwhile, Cardinal says he believes the architecture of the roof contributed to the accident because of its tendency to trap snow between its peaks in large amounts.