Skip to content

Kamsack roof blows off during storm

Rick Li, who operates the Prairie Family Centre with his wife Grace Hu, said damage to the building was minimal.
Kamsack Roof Storm 2022
Strong winds on May 13 saw the pitched roof of Kamsack's Prairie Family Centre (seen here as the tan-coloured building with bricks on the top) fall off and land two buildings down.

KAMSACK — A roof blew off a building on Kamsack’s main street and landed onto a nearby building.

It happened during the strong winds on the morning of Friday, May 13. By Tuesday, May 17, all the debris on that adjacent building was cleaned up.

Although initial reports were that the roof over the building at the intersection of Third Avenue South (main street) and Second Street had failed in the wind, it soon became obvious that it was the pitched roof on the two-storey Prairie Family Centre grocery store which became dislodged and blew onto the building two doors over.

The event caused some damage to the corner building which houses Marilyn’s Sewing Basket and the Kamsack law office of Leland Campbell Kondratoff Persick, causing both to close their doors since Friday. The building located between the grocery store and the corner building, which is not open to the public, was left without much obvious damage.

But after closing Friday, May 13, Saturday, May 14 and Sunday, May 15, Prairie Family Centre was open for business on Monday, May 16.

Rick Li who operates the business with his wife Grace Hu, said damage to the building was minimal and he was able to do the clean-up and be opened Monday.

Li said he and his wife were still in bed Friday morning when the wind blew the pitched roof off their building.

“We were sleeping, but I heard a big noise,” Li said on Tuesday, explaining that he had not realized that the roof had gone until he was told by a neighbour. The couple occupies one of eight suits located on the building’s second floor. There were no other occupants.

Tara Nagy, office manager for the law firm, which also has offices in Yorkton and Canora, said that while the Kamsack office is closed, they are asking clients to contact the Canora office.

Plans are to open the office again, Nagy said, adding that the insurance people are at the site evaluating what the damage is.

“Everything is safe,” says a sign in the window of Marilyn’s Sewing Basket. “Waiting on power hook-up.

“If I promised you a date for your dress, it will be ready,” the note provided by Marilyn Gnip, said. “I will call you.”