Massachusetts governor files federal disaster declaration request 3 months after Leominster flood

LEOMINSTER RIGHT NOW. DAVID ED. GOOD EVENING. THIS COUPLE IS BOTH IN THEIR 70S AND THEY HAD SOME OF THE MOST DRAMATIC DAMAGE WE SAW DURING THE FLOODING BACK IN SEPTEMBER. ONLY A FRACTION OF THAT DAMAGE AT THEIR HOME HAS SO FAR BEEN REPAIRED AND MUCH OF THAT BY THEIR OWN HANDS. WITH HIS HIP WADERS ON, ARTHUR AUBYN PICKS FLOOD DEBRIS OUT OF HIS BACKYARD WHILE HIS WIFE, JOANNE HANGS CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS ON A STUMPY OLD TREE. SO YOU’VE BEEN SHOVELING OUT YOUR OWN DRIVEWAY? WE SHOVELED OUT THE DRIVEWAY. YEP. WE’LL BURRILVILLE AT A TIME, BUT THE AUBYNS HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO LIVE IN THEIR HOME. NOT SINCE SEPTEMBER 11TH, WHEN NEARLY A FOOT OF RAIN FELL ON LEOMINSTER IN ONE NIGHT AND THE STREET COLLAPSE MATT AND A KIND OF A TIDAL WAVE COME UP. THE AUBYNS BARELY ESCAPED AS THE TINY STREAM THAT FLOWS UNDER THEIR HOME, STRIPPED AWAY THE EARTH DOWN TO THE BASEMENT. THE AUBYNS DO HAVE HOME INSURANCE BUT NOT FLOOD INSURANCE AND SAY SO FAR THEY HAVEN’T RECEIVED A DIME. THIS HAS BEEN OUR HOME FOR 34 YEARS, SO WE RAISED OUR SON HERE. THIS IS AN ITEMIZED LIST. LEMONSTER MAYOR SHOWS THE LIST OF FLOOD SITES TOTALING NEARLY $30 MILLION IN DAMAGE JUST FOR ROADS AND OTHER PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE. THIS WEEK, THE STATE SUBMITTED THE LIST AS PART OF AN APPLICATION FOR EMERGENCY FEDERAL FUNDING. I’M CAUTIOUS ABOUT IT AND OPTIMISTIC, BUT I’D BE SURPRISED IF THEY IF THEY SAID NO. THE PRESIDENT CAN DECLARE ANY, YOU KNOW, NATURAL INCIDENT, A MAJOR DISASTER IF HE SO CHOOSES TO THE WOBURN SAY WITHOUT THAT DECLARATION, THEIR HOME WILL LIKELY BE TORN DOWN. BUT WHILE WAITING, THEY’VE DECIDED TO KEEP BUSY PREPARING FOR WHAT THEY HOPE WILL BE A HOMECOMING SOMETIME NEXT YEAR. IF IT CAN BE DONE WITH THE PEOPLE THAT DO IT. HOW’S THAT FOR GRIT? THE AUBYNS, BY THE WAY, HAVE RECEIVED SOME HELP FROM FRIENDS, NEIGHBORS, EVEN STRANGERS. AN ONLINE FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN SET UP BY THEIR SON HAS SO FAR BROUGHT IN ABOUT $38,000.

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey has filed a request for President Joe Biden to declare a major disaster happened in the city of Leominster when it was hit by flooding more than 90 days ago.The Leominster Mayor's Office said Healey filed the disaster declaration request to the federal government Monday, which marked the three-month anniversary of the devastating Sept. 11 flood in Leominster.The declaration includes a request for both individual assistance to Leominster homeowners and business owners, as well as city infrastructure damage.The Mayor's Office said Leominster residents and businesses have submitted 1,400 damage forms to the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency and Federal Emergency Management Agency.Arthur and Joanne Obin, a retired couple in their 70s, still cannot live in their home at the corner of Pleasant and Colburn streets when nearly a foot of rain fell in Leominster on the night of Sept. 11.The Obins barely escaped with their lives as the tiny stream that flows under their home's foundation started eating away at the front of the house."I looked out the front picture window, and the street collapsed, and a kind of a tidal wave came up as a result of it," Joanne Obin said. "That's when we knew we had to get out."The couple said their mortgage was paid off, and the house had been renovated just the way they wanted when their property was ravaged by the flooding."This has been our home for 34 years. We raised our son here," Arthur Obin said before he was overcome by emotion.The Obins had homeowners insurance but not flood insurance, and they said they have not received any money from insurance thus far. A few weeks ago, the couple got tired of sitting around in the basement apartment they are now living in and began cleaning up their yard."We shoveled out the driveway a wheelbarrow at a time," Joanne Obin said.The couple said an engineer has told them their home can be saved, so they are hoping the government will pay for part of the repairs so they can be in their beloved house when they celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary next year."I'd like to see her in her home again," Arthur Obin said. Leominster officials have informed MEMA and FEMA of more than $30 million in damages to 75 city sites. The Mayor's Office said that the damage estimate was determined by the city engineer and three engineering firms who assisted in the process."I'm cautious about it and optimistic, but I'd be surprised if they said: 'No,'" said Leominster Mayor Dean Mazzarella.The Massachusetts Department of Transportation reported an estimated $6 million in costs related to the flood damage in Leominster, according to city officials.The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority made an estimated $390,000 in estimated repairs related to the Commuter Rail tracks that were compromised by the flooding.Related story:

LEOMINSTER, Mass. —

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey has filed a request for President Joe Biden to declare a major disaster happened in the city of Leominster when it was hit by flooding more than 90 days ago.

The Leominster Mayor's Office said Healey filed the disaster declaration request to the federal government Monday, which marked the three-month anniversary of the devastating Sept. 11 flood in Leominster.

The declaration includes a request for both individual assistance to Leominster homeowners and business owners, as well as city infrastructure damage.

The Mayor's Office said Leominster residents and businesses have submitted 1,400 damage forms to the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency and Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Arthur and Joanne Obin, a retired couple in their 70s, still cannot live in their home at the corner of Pleasant and Colburn streets when nearly a foot of rain fell in Leominster on the night of Sept. 11.

The Obins barely escaped with their lives as the tiny stream that flows under their home's foundation started eating away at the front of the house.

"I looked out the front picture window, and the street collapsed, and a kind of a tidal wave came up as a result of it," Joanne Obin said. "That's when we knew we had to get out."

File

Floodwaters washed away the front lawn at 208 Pleasant St. in Leominster, Massachusetts, and created a sinkhole in the middle of Pleasant Street during a flash flood emergency on Sept. 11, 2023.

The couple said their mortgage was paid off, and the house had been renovated just the way they wanted when their property was ravaged by the flooding.

"This has been our home for 34 years. We raised our son here," Arthur Obin said before he was overcome by emotion.

The Obins had homeowners insurance but not flood insurance, and they said they have not received any money from insurance thus far. A few weeks ago, the couple got tired of sitting around in the basement apartment they are now living in and began cleaning up their yard.

"We shoveled out the driveway a wheelbarrow at a time," Joanne Obin said.

The couple said an engineer has told them their home can be saved, so they are hoping the government will pay for part of the repairs so they can be in their beloved house when they celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary next year.

"I'd like to see her in her home again," Arthur Obin said.

Leominster officials have informed MEMA and FEMA of more than $30 million in damages to 75 city sites. The Mayor's Office said that the damage estimate was determined by the city engineer and three engineering firms who assisted in the process.

"I'm cautious about it and optimistic, but I'd be surprised if they said: 'No,'" said Leominster Mayor Dean Mazzarella.

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation reported an estimated $6 million in costs related to the flood damage in Leominster, according to city officials.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority made an estimated $390,000 in estimated repairs related to the Commuter Rail tracks that were compromised by the flooding.

Massachusetts governor files federal disaster declaration request 3 months after Leominster flood

GET LOCAL BREAKING NEWS ALERTS

Related story:

Top Picks