Cromwell, Conn. Condos Evacuated

(NECN: Brian Burnell, Cromwell, Conn.) - A bump in the night at a condominium complex in Connecticut sent everyone out in the cold with no idea when they can go home again.

It was very early Friday morning when Lory Balding says she heard something disconcerting to say the least.

Lory Balding, Cromwell, CT:  "Got woken up by a loud... I don't even know how to describe it.  Thud.  Bang.  I mean, it was enough to wake you up out of a sound sleep."

With snow and ice riding heavy on rooftops and roof collapses becoming all too common Lory had a pretty good idea what was going on and called 911.

Howie Taylor, Cromwell, CT:   "We heard people running in the hall saying, 'Get out of the bulding.'  So we got dressed, we left and then all the fire trucks were here telling us we couldn't go back into the building but then they let us go back in to get pills, medication."

Two buildings, 144 units, 400 people evacuated for fear the roofs might collapse under winter's weight.

Lory Balding, Cromwell, CT: "From one of the firefighters that I was talking to they did find broken beams in the first building."

The town has set up a shelter.  Some are headed to stay with relatives or in motels until the roofs are cleared and repaired and the building inspector is satisfied.

Lory Balding, Cromwell, CT: "Any notion at this point when you're going to get back in?  Best case scenario we're looking at tomorrow."

Howie Taylor, Cromwell, CT: "The last word I got was it might take 3 days before they can fix the structure, whatever is wrong with it."

Andre Aderca, Cromwell, CT: "They guess-timated anywhere between two to four.  I don't know.  So its hard to say right now."

Talk about disrupting your life.  These people have all their stuff in their.  They really don't know when they'll be getting back in.  It affects their jobs, their kids... even their pets.

Andre Aderca, Cromwell, CT: "Its kind of hard because we have a daughter too, so, she has to go to school.  We have to go to work so its a bit unpleasant right now."

In the meantime this is happening on roofs across the state as homeowners and businesses battle the toughest winter most can recall. 

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