As schools close and warehouses are threatened by the weight of accumulated snow, the Lakes Region has also had its share of buildings unable to hold the weight of snow and ice.

A gymnasium at Camp Wildwood, as well the loss of greenhouses and a front porch at Mark’s Lawn and Garden Center are just two of the properties that have experienced roof collapses in Bridgton.

Bridgton Fire Chief Glen Garland said they have responded to eight collapsed roofs so far this winter, most of which were garages and storage units.

“My best guess is that it’s just the composition of the snow. The roofs haven’t changed,” said Garland, who added that in his adult life, he does not remember ever seeing so many structural issues related to winter weather.

Camp Wildwood in Bridgton has suffered perhaps the most damage. The gymnasium roof collapsed Wednesday, Feb. 27, in the early morning hours. Inside, many boats belonging to the camp, as well as those being stored by Naples Marina for the winter, were damaged.

Owners of the Naples Marina offered no comment, saying revealing information could compromise the safety of kids looking to cause mischief in the condemned building, but Glen said there may have been as many as 100 boats inside the gymnasium at the time of the collapse, and that Naples Marina had “leased out a good chunk” of the gymnasium.

Garland said the gymnasium was built in the late 1970s, and it had a pitched metal roof. He said he is unsure why the roof collapsed this year, in a region that is accustomed to heavy snowfall.

Mark’s Lawn and Garden Center in Bridgton lost a greenhouse after a Valentine’s Day collapse, and on Tuesday morning, the front porch roof went down.

The most recent greenhouse collapse is the third for owner Mark Cartonio, who released a statement on the company’s Web site about the losses caused by heavy snow, and the uncertainty he faces about how to proceed in Bridgton. Cartonio said he is “considering other alternatives.”

“I’m headed south…actually, I don’t know what to do,” said Cartonio.

Thankfully, no one has been hurt in any of the collapses, said Garland. Only one collapse happened at a home, and Garland said the people inside had enough time to get out.

Following Wednesday’s bad weather, and with the possibility of another storm this weekend, Garland is on edge about the possibility of more collapses. In addition, he said camps may have suffered damage this winter that the fire department does not yet know about, because the roads have not been plowed in the camp areas.

“No one plans for this kind of weather, so it’s a scary situation,” said Raymond Fire Chief Denis Morse.

While Morse said his fire department has not responded to any collapses so far this winter, Morse said there is some damage to a boat ramp at the Jordan Bay, and with freezing rain fall this week, Raymond could face more damage.

Dave Martens, a manager at Port Harbor Marina in Raymond, said his staff is trying to keep up with the relentless precipitation falling on the boathouses and ramps.

“We’ve been trying to keep them shoveled to keep the weight off them, but this kind of weather is not helping,” said Martens on Wednesday.

John Keenan, a Standish firefighter, reported one roof collapse last week at a mobile home on Eaton Road. Keenan said the home was vacant.

Along Route 302 Tuesday afternoon, people could be seen shoveling roofs in preparation for the forecasted wintery mix Tuesday night into Wednesday. Gene Hurteau, owner of Consolidated Home Improvements in Windham, said he wishes more people were aware of the potential for winter collapses.

This morning, he was inside a building that showed signs of imminent collapse through strained roof beams. Hurteau and his staff was able to get on the roof and clear it off before the beams broke, but he was not optimistic Wednesday afternoon as he watched the freezing rain fall which he said would add a lot of weight to already covered roofs.

“The day is not done. With the way things are going, it’s not looking good,” said Hurteau.

However, Hurteau urged homeowners to use caution when trying to shovel roofs. He said if possible, a person in the roofing trade should be hired for the job. However, Hurteau said he understood that some people may not be able to afford the expense. It could cost $300 or more per job.

Morse said if homeowners decide to take the job on alone, they should always have a witness present, carry a cell phone, and wear a harness. This winter, Raymond Public Safety has responded to a few emergencies involving falls from roofs, resulting in broken bones.

Garland wished to remind Lakes Region residents who plan to remove snow from their roofs to make sure that heating systems with wall vents are not blocked, to avoid problems with carbon monoxide.

Risks and all, it is more dangerous to ignore the problem of mounting snow. Hurteau said damages due to a collapsed roof are complicated and expensive. He said repair costs could be $100,000 to $200,000, not to mention water and furniture damage.

“It’s like rebuilding the house,” said Hurteau.

Summer pursuits took a winter beating after a roof collapse at the gym at Camp Wildwood in Bridgton Feb. 26 damaged stored boats and RVs. The collapse was one of eight recent ones in the Bridgton area, according to Bridgton Fire Chief Glen Garland.