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LEOMINSTER, MASS. Leominster (WHDH), MASS. – On Monday, city officials declared a state emergency as torrential rains lashed the region. This also caused flash flooding in Leominster.
Leominster Fitchburg Lunenburg Princeton Sterling and Sterling were all included in the flash flooding emergency that was declared by National Weather Service as of 11pm. Earlier, flash flood warnings had covered a larger area of Massachusetts Rhode Island New Hampshire.
Leominster officials reported that rescues had begun in multiple spots on Monday evening. They were also rushing aid from the neighboring towns and state agencies, while it continued to rain.
Leominster Mayor Dean Mazzarella sent a Facebook post around 6:45 p.m. saying, “It’s unsafe to go out.”
Mazzarella posted a Facebook Live from a nearby parking lot, where he shared that it had been flooding since 4:45 p.m.
Mazzarella said that all of the crews were out there, and added “We’ve contacted everyone.”
Mazzarella warned community members not to drive and noted that there was eight feet of standing water on some houses in the region around 7 :45 p.m.
“I never saw anything like it,” said the man.
Leominster mayor describes rescues, mutual aid response
Mazzarella, speaking with 7NEWS said that the heavy rain began falling at around 4:15 p.m.
Mazzarella told reporters that the streets and roads were all blocked as of nine o’clock at night.
“People trying to get out of the highway,” said he. “But, our streets have been flooded.”
Mazzarella added that the city had asked neighboring municipalities and state officials for help, along with Department of Public Works workers, police officers and firemen.
“We simply need people at this point in time,” said the man.
Mazzarella did not hesitate to say that even though officials were calling for help, the city needed to make sure its streets remained clear.
“We asked for mutual aid,” said he. Our roads can be blocked by large water puddles, and we can’t transport them to the area.
Mazzarella then continued, “Stay away from Leominster for tonight.”
Mazzarella confirmed that Leominster’s central business district had suffered from flooding. Mazzarella stated that flooding had also occurred along the Nashua River & Monoosnoc Brook.
Mazzarella, a resident of Water Street between Mechanic Street and Monoosnoc Brook in the area, said that a structure had partially collapsed. About 9 p.m., firefighter were working at the scene of the building to ensure no one else was there.
Mazzarella reports that some Leominster residents were trapped in cars by flooding, and needed to be rescued.
Mazzarella explained that off Central Street, an area of mobile homes was “flooded”, prompting evacuations. 7NEWS cameras at the scene recorded some of those evacuations. As people were moving their belongings to dry land and away from their houses, rescuers visited door to entry.
Another person was seen on a boat being taken out.
7NEWS observed multiple rescues on Main Street near Pleasant Street. The flood waters had subsided to a certain degree by around 10 p.m.
Near the Nashua River on Main Street in Nashua, a part of an area for parking at a dealership selling luxury cars washed-out, sending several vehicles into what had previously been solid and stable ground.
Leominster Public Schools’ Superintendent Paula Deacon declared Monday evening that schools in the city would be closed on February 2.
Deacon urged everyone to stay vigilant.
Mazzarella, announcing on Facebook the opening of a homeless shelter at Viscoloid Avenue and Frances Drake School in Leominster around 9:30 pm.
The school had more than sixty people by the time it closed at 11 p.m.
Flooding leads to road closures and canceled trains
MassDOT (the state Department of Transportation) issued a report stating that various state highways were closed as of 7:50 p.m. due to floods.
Route 1A, in Attleboro, reopened Monday night.
MassDOT says that early Tuesday morning eastbound lanes along Route 2 have reopened in Leominster. The westbound lane remained shut.
I-90 Eastbound, Westbound and Exit 52 in Chicopee were reopened on Monday night. I-291 Westbound had to be closed near Exit 6.
X, formerly Twitter, reported that many MBTA Commuter Rail train services had been canceled, delayed or terminated before 7 p.m. on both Fitchburg and Providence Lines.
T announced in a post that due to flooding, service was suspended between Pawtucket/Central Falls Junction and Wickford Junction on the Providence Line.
T told drivers to expect “severe delays” in both directions.
“Passengers should consider RIPTA’s bus service as an alternate for services between Pawtucket Junction, Rhode Island and Wickford Junction,” said the T in a post.
T has announced all Fitchburg Line trains will be terminating/originating at Shirley due to flooding damage.
T has announced buses will be replacing train service in the area between Shirley and Wachusett, until service ends on Tuesday.
T reported that the T’s engineering team was working to repair any necessary damage to restore regular service.
North Attleboro’s emergency management team sent out a warning Monday night, asking residents to stay away from the roads, and “take shelter at home until further notice.”
North Attleboro officials gave an update about 11:45 p.m. and announced that the order of sheltering in place for North Attleboro had been lifted.
If you have to drive please use caution. Do not try to go around any road restrictions.
Gov. Maura healey, in a response made earlier on Monday night to the flooding situation unfolding in Massachusetts’ communities, said “There are devastating floods across the entire state and in Leominster this evening”.
Healey added, “My thoughts and prayers are with the victims’ families as well public safety officers.”
Healey claimed to have spoken to Leominster Mayor Mazzarella. “I instructed all state agencies that could help to do so.”
Healey confirmed that Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency staff, Massachusetts State Police personnel and State Department of Fire Services firefighters were already on the scene Monday night. They had boat rescue and response teams with them “to make sure the safety of the residents,” Healey explained.
Temperatures to rise Tuesday
Leominster Fitchburg & surrounding communities should continue to be under a flash flood alert until 8am Monday.
The flash flood warnings that were issued in the southern New England region have now expired at 11:30 PM.
Near Leominster around 9 p.m. on Monday evening, the radar showed between six and nine inches of rainfall over the previous several hours. Leominster had already suffered from several bouts of wet weather in this summer.
In the southern part of Massachusetts, a community north of Providence in North Attleboro and a couple of other communities near North Attleboro have received more than seven inches of rain before nine o’clock.
The steady downpours of rain that had been affecting southern New England for the past few days have now ceased, and only light showers are left in certain areas. This was just after midnight.
The region is expected to see some scattered showers on Tuesday. These are likely to be more intense, and move quicker than on Monday.
The forecast for Wednesday is more scattered thunderstorms.
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