Snow concerns closes Antioch Walmart
By Frank Abderholden fabderholden@stmedianetwork.com March 6, 2013 7:14PM
Cranes with Clark Roofing out of Broadview lift tarps full of snow off the roof of Walmart on Route 173 in Antioch after concerns of the roof collapsing at the store. | Michael Schmidt~Sun-Times Media
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Updated: April 8, 2013 7:50AM
ANTIOCH — Walmart hoped to re-open it’s giant store at Route 83 and Deep Lake Road on Wednesday night after closing for the day because of concerns with the amount of snow on the store’s roof.
Cranes and other equipment were being used Wednesday to clear off snow, ice and water.
“I do not think there is a big danger to anyone,” said Jim Kiem, Antioch village administrator. “This was a proactive safety measure.
“My information is there was some indication the roof had a little cause for concern. The roof is designed to flex at a certain point,” he said.
Walmart closed Wednesday morning and was expected to open again at 6 p.m., according to a store clerk answering the telephones.
“It has been closed (since late morning) as a precautionary measure due to heavy snow,” said Dianna Gee, spokeswoman for Walmart.”
We have no structural damage. We have crews removing the snow. We do apologize for any inconveinance.”
She said nationwide the world’s biggest retailer had very little problems with the recent store and the store closings that occurred were due to power outages.
Kiem said the store would have to have a structural engineer certify the roof is safe before they can reopen.
“We are a little village and we don’t have a structural engineer on staff,” he said.
This also happened in 2011 after Ground Hog Day blizzard and the store reopened without problems.
“There’s nowhere near the snow we had two years ago,” he said.
