SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – The heavy rain that swept through western Massachusetts over the weekend has left nine tenants without a home on East Park Street due to a water evacuation on Sunday.

According to the Springfield Fire Department poor structural integrity of the roof was compromised due to water build-up on top of the building. Heavy rain and inadequate drainage led to the ponding on the apartment building which left multiple people without a home.

Now, city building inspectors are working with the property owner on repairs.

Drew Piemonte of the Springfield Fire Dept. explained to 22News how drain clogging contributed to the incident, “So they’re equipped with either a scupper drain or a roof drain, located strategically in the middle of the roof where all the water would drain to. If they get clogged and there’s nowhere for the water to go, it just keeps building up, building up and then that starts excessive weight on the structure and it could compromise it.”

Fran Beaulieu, owner of Phil Beaulieu & Sons Home Improvement in Chicopee, says that flat roofs are especially susceptible to water damage, “Flat roofs, obviously, especially if you have any kind of depression up in the roof that can hold water, it’s very common to find ponding water on flat roofs.”

Ongoing leaks can hasten a potential structural compromise, that’s why regular maintenance is so important. Roofing experts recommend inspecting drain systems if not weekly, monthly.

According to the Springfield Fire Department, the nine tenants forced out of the building are temporarily staying in a nearby hotel until the city deems the building habitable once again. There are no reported injuries at this time.