Snowstorm death toll hits 12; flood threat looms
By CAROLYN THOMPSON, Associated Press
Nov 21, 2014 5:58 AM CST
A West Seneca Highway Department snowplow drives along a street on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014, in West Seneca, N.Y. A new blast of lake-effect snow pounded Buffalo for a third day piling more misery on a city already buried by an epic, deadly snowfall that could leave some areas with nearly 8 feet of snow...   (Associated Press)

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — The death toll from an epic Buffalo-area snowstorm rose to 12 with the deaths of two elderly residents of a nursing home that was evacuated amid concerns of a roof collapse.

Erie County officials announced the deaths Friday. Ten deaths had previously been reported since Tuesday, most of them from heart attacks and exposure.

Deputy County Executive Richard Tobe (TOH-beeh) also says 30 major building collapses were reported overnight, mostly involving farm buildings and buildings with flat roofs. Tobe says authorities expect to discover more collapses after sunrise. He says some farm animals have been injured, but no people.

The nursing home residents who died overnight were among the more than 100 people evacuated from the Garden Gate facility in Cheektowaga on Thursday after staff noticed the ceiling bulging.

See 9 more photos