Elderly Man Survives Roof Collapse Day Before Birthday

Multiple families throughout the region are recovering after heavy snow caused part of their homes to collapse on Tuesday.

Crews responded to a home on Cottonwood Drive in Hatboro, Montgomery County where a carport caved in around 3 p.m., according to officials.

An 83-year-old man was trapped uner the rubble for about 20 minutes before rescue crews arrived and cut through the roof of the collapsed carport in order to pull him to safety. He was taken to Abington Hospital though his injuries don't appear to be life-threatening.

Investigators say that the man likely survived because of the car that was still inside the carport. The car helped brace the roof from falling all the way down, according to officials. It was an early birthday gift for the man who will turn 84-years-old on Wednesday.

"God was looking after him," said Maura Kelley, the man's neighbor.

Investigators suspect the carport collapsed due to the weight of the melting snow.

"We got a lot," said Kelley. "We got hit like every other day we had a storm. It's bad."

Crews also evacuated several families from the 700 block of Seneca Street in Fountain Hill, Lehigh County after three porch roofs collapsed under the weight of the snow, according to reports.

The debris blocked the residents inside their homes, but officials say no one was injured.

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