Springfield, Vt. — Heavy storms wreaked havoc on Friday in Springfield, creating washouts, disrupting traffic, trapping vehicles and flooding the first floor of a housing complex, according to a news release from the Springfield Fire Department.

Fire Chief Russ Thompson said the first floor of the Whitcomb Building, a six-story complex managed by the Springfield Housing Authority that is home to 72 income-eligible residents 62 and older or those who have a disability, quickly flooded on Friday afternoon after a nearby drainage basin clogged. The water levels in the building rose over 4 feet, Thompson said. As crews worked to divert water from the building, the water buckled the steel entry doors of the building’s electrical service room and cut off the building’s power.

First-floor residents were moved to a safe area, the chief said, and welfare checks were conducted throughout the building’s other five floors. Two residents were trapped in an elevator but were otherwise unharmed.

As the storm wound down and the water receded, an evaluation of the building’s damage determined that all residents would be displaced, according to the release.

The chief praised the Springfield Housing Authority staff for its help in connecting displaced residents with relatives. Some occupants, depending on their needs, were taken to Springfield Hospital or Springfield Health and Rehabilitation Center. A shelter also was established by the Red Cross and the Precision Valley Recovery Team at another Springfield Housing Authority building located at 80 Main St.

Thompson said it is not clear how long the building’s residents will be displaced, but early projections estimated they would not return to the building until midweek.

— Staff report

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