LIMERICK — A 50-year-old man fell from the roof he was shoveling Sunday and was taken by ambulance to hospital. And an Arundel family escaped injury but is looking for a new place to live, assisted by the American Red Cross, after a mishap brought on by cold, snowy weather.

York County Sheriff Bill King said these mishaps – and some others, including a half-dozen vehicle crashes from Sunday into Monday, are all reasons for people to take extra care, both on the roadways and at home, during storms.

No one was hurt in any of the crashes, King said. But the county’s top cop said he wanted to remind everyone that snowstorms can create poor road conditions along with diminished visibility. 

In Monday’s storm, in some areas the wind was blowing the snow back onto the roadways, creating hazardous conditions by creating large mounds of snow.   “Motorists are reminded to operate in a safe manner, keeping in mind that the road conditions can change suddenly,” he said in a news release issued Monday afternoon.

 The back-to-back storms and severe cold weather have also resulted in other storm-related emergencies, he said.

In Arundel, a homeowner on Newcastle Road reported smelling smoke inside his mobile home. Arundel Fire and Rescue responded and found the cause – a bale of hay used for insulation under the mobile home was smoldering because it had come in contact with heat tape used on plumbing pipes. King said the home was deemed uninhabitable and the family is relocating.

The man who fell 10 feet from the roof in Limerick was taken to Maine Medical Center in Portland by Limerick Fire and Rescue. The extent of his injuries were not known, King said.

“The winter storms and extremely cold temperature have created many issues for everyone to cope with,” King said.

He offered these tips:

Ӣ Drive only if you have to when the weather conditions are poor.

”¢ Be careful when shoveling snow. Over-exertion can bring on a heart attack ”“ a major cause of death in the winter.

Ӣ Use a roof rake to clear roofs and use extreme caution with roof rakes around power lines.

Ӣ Most importantly, be a good neighbor. Check with elderly relatives and neighbors who may need additional assistance to ensure their safety.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or twells@journaltribune.com.