Local News

People living near Leominster dam urged to evacuate

“It’s a miracle that people made it — that we haven’t had any fatalities,” Leominster Mayor Dean Mazzarella said after heavy rain battered the city.

Neighbors look at the washed out intersection of Pleasant and Colburn Streets in Leominster. Lane Turner/Boston Globe Staff

By Abby Patkin

1 minute to read
PRIOR COVERAGE:

Leominster officials urged some of the city’s neighborhoods to evacuate Tuesday morning as catastrophic flooding stoked concern for the nearby Barrett Park Pond Dam.

Heavy rain battered Leominster Monday evening, leading ​​Mayor Dean Mazzarella to declare a state of emergency due to extensive flooding. Videos and photos posted online showed the extent of the storm, with partially submerged cars, crumbled roads, and a stretch of Route 2 under water. 

Officials evacuated people throughout the night using “hovercrafts and boats,” Mazzarella said at a Tuesday morning news conference filmed by WBZ. He estimated that the flooding has caused millions of dollars in damage.

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“It’s a miracle that people made it — that we haven’t had any fatalities,” Mazzarella said. 

Shortly before 5 a.m. Tuesday, the city asked residents in low-lying areas of the Fall Brook tributary along Central Street, Fall Brook, and the North Nashua River to evacuate immediately “due to a potential issue at the Barrett Park Pond Dam.” 

Frances Drake Elementary and Sky View Middle School were open as emergency shelters.

“This particular dam is one that we’re actually about to replace, and it is very sensitive,” Mazzarella said during the news conference. “It’s water-saturated and we’re worried about that downstream.”

People gather to look at a sinkhole that swallowed vehicles at a Cadillac dealership in Leominster. – Jessica Rinaldi/Boston Globe Staff

With more rain in the forecast this week, he said Leominster is as prepared as it can be at this point.

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Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency Deputy Director Pat Carnevale said the state’s Office of Dam Safety was evaluating some of the local dams Tuesday morning.

If the larger dam gives way, Mazzarella said the water would “come right through” Leominster’s downtown area.

“At this point, it’s a wait-and-see,” he said. “It’s going to take a while for the rivers to reach the peak.” 

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Abby Patkin

Staff Writer

Abby Patkin is a general assignment news reporter whose work touches on public transit, crime, health, and everything in between.

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