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Boston digs out from storms as more snow threatens

Three record-breaking storms in Boston the past two weeks have left five and a half feet of snow on the ground
Boston paralyzed with record snow, more on the way 02:53

The Boston area is blockaded by another massive snowstorm. Three record-breaking storms in the past two weeks have left 5.5 feet of snow on the ground, placing the city third for all-time February snowfall. Schools are closed again, trains and subways are shut down and dozens of flights at Logan Airport are cancelled. Adding insult to injury, another round of harsh weather is expected to strike again Thursday, reports CBS News correspondent Jericka Duncan.

Boston's streets are at a standstill; the busy morning commute once again paralyzed by the latest round of snow.

Boston digs out from new snow record 01:58

Now, the buildup from 2.5 weeks of relentless precipitation is creating a new set of problems.

"I'm asking you to go out and get somebody to inspect your roofs," Mayor Marty Walsh said.

Officials are concerned that roofs may buckle under the weight of the accumulation.

In the Boston suburb of Quincy, the roof of a building once used as a movie set gave way. In Rockland, the top of an industrial building collapsed with seven people inside. Luckily no one was hurt.

"The whole ceiling came in. It was like a freight train, we just ran," one person said.

Over the past 14 days, contractor Tom Morrell has received 200 phone calls from people in the Boston area asking to have their rooftops shoveled.

"It's like, 'Boom.' It just started getting crazy. Everybody's panicking right now," Morrell said.

The city has been struggling to keep up with the consecutive storms since they began in late January, each one dropping at least 18 inches.

"You shovel again and you shovel again and you shovel again," one resident said.

Trapped cars, non-existent parking spaces and difficult conditions are frustrating Bostonians, including Walsh.

"Just when we get a little bit ahead and we're ready to make leeway, we get hit with more snow," he said.

Officials predict they will spend double the city's $18 million snow removal budget by the end of the week. Crews are working diligently to clear the roads and a path for students to get back to school. They've missed eight days so far -- the highest amount in 20 years.

"All these storms all at once, it's just you can't even explain it. It's crazy. You know, my wife is getting tired of seeing the kids too," one resident said.

The city announced it may resort to dumping some of the snow in Boston Harbor to get rid of it. To make things that more difficult for the hundreds of crews working to clean up, temperatures are expected to drop as the week continues.

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