Ice Jam Floods Basements

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Sue Bush
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Ice Jam Floods Basements

By Susan Bush
12:00AM / Monday, December 26, 2005

Upriver from a Main Road, Stamford, Vt. bridge, ice chunks remain intact.

Stamford, Vt.- Mild air temperatures and a heavy overnight rainfall were the catalysts that caused a massive ice buildup under a state-maintained Main Road [Route 100] bridge early on Dec. 26. The ice jam sent Roaring Brook waters pouring over the riverâ€™s embankment, onto the roadway and into three residential cellars, and also pulled about 17 volunteer firefighters from their post-yuletide slumber for basement pumping duty.

Firefighters were called at about 2:45 a.m., said town fire department Chief Paul Ethier.

â€œThe ice came down and got stuck under the bridge,â€ Ethier said. â€œWater ran over the bank and down the side of the road and got into Doug Wyldeâ€™s yard, and put about two feet of water in his basement. Then it ran across and put about a foot of water into two other basements.â€

Roaring Brook waters slice between a backhoe-carved space.

Vermont Department of Transportation workers were contacted. State employees brought a backhoe to the scene and broke up the ice blockade, which in turn allowed the rapidly-flowing water to pass under the bridge. Traffic was diverted from the scene while the ice jam was removed.

Firefighters were able to leave the scene at about 9:30 a.m., Ethier said.

Ice jams under the bridge are not uncommon, Ethier said.

â€œWe go through this almost every year,â€ he said.

Susan Bush may be reached via e-mail at suebush@iberkshires.com or at 802-823-9367.

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