Video: More than 70 Springfield residents displaced after flooding

Floodwater from intense rain on Friday knocked out power to an apartment building forcing more than 70 people to evacuate. Officials say most of them were elderly or disabled.

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Dozens displaced after flooding knocks out power to Springfield apartment building Officials said they are hoping to get everyone back in the building by the end of this week. Share WPTZ Updated: 7:00 PM EDT Jul 30, 2018 Ross Ketschke Reporter WEBVTT NBC 5’S ROSS KETSCHKE REPORTS. >> IT IS VERY DISRUPTIVE. >> WE DON’T KNOW WHAT COMING, HOW MUCH LONGER WE HAVE BEFORE WE CAN LIVE IN OUR APARTMENTS AGAIN. ROSS: NANCY THURSTON AND JEAN BEDI WERE FORCED OUT OF THEIR SPRINGFIELD APARTMENTS ALONG WITH MORE THAN 70 PEOPLE WHO WERE FORCED OUT BY LAST WEEK’S POWERFUL STORMS. >> THERE WAS WATER ALL OVER. ROSS: THE WATER FLOODED THE ELECTRIC ROOM, KNOCKING OUT POWER TO EVERYONE INSIDE. ALL THE TENANTS, MOSTLY ELDERLY AND DISABLED, HAD TO BE EVACUATED. >> THERE ARE SO MANY OLDER ONES IN THE BUILDING AND THEY WERE VERY DISTRAUGHT. IT WAS LATE IN THE DAY AND GETTING DARK. >> IT IS VERY DIFFICULT BECAUSE WE COULDN’T TAKE EVERYTHING YOU NEED IT, BUT YOU TOOK WHAT YOU THOUGHT YOU COULD CARRY. ROSS: TENANTS WERE ALLOWED BACK INSIDE ON MONDAY TO GET THINGS THEY THINK THEY MIGHT NEED. THE TOWN SAYS MOST ARE STAYING WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY OR IN A NEARBY HOTEL. ABOUT A DOZEN PEOPLE ARE STAYING AT A SHELTER THAT WAS SET UP INSIDE THE TOWN’S HOUSING AUTHORITY BUILDING WHILE CREWS WORK TO REPAIR THE DAMAGE. >> WE ARE KEEPING OUR FINGERS CROSSED THE WEEKEND GETTING TEMPORARILY FIXED. THE STATE HAS APPROVED THAT PLAN. IF WE CAN, WE WILL GET PEOPLE BACK IN AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. ROSS: AND DESPITE BEING DISPLACED, RESIDENTS SAY THEY ARE THANKFUL FOR ALL THE WORK THE TOWN HAS DONE TO HELP SO FAR. >> THEY HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB, THEY REALLY HAVE. I MEAN, THERE’S NOT A WHOLE LOT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT. >> I KNOW THEY ARE WORKING AS HARD AS THEY CAN. YOU CAN TELL WITH ALL THE VEHICLES HERE. THEY WANT TO GET PEOPLE BACK IN. ROSS: OFFICIALS SAY THEY HOPE TENANTS WILL BE ABLE TO MOVE BACK INTO THEIR APARTMENTS SPRINGFIELD, Vt. — More than 70 people were displaced from their Springfield apartments on Friday after intense storms caused flooding throughout the town. Officials said floodwaters seeped into the electrical room inside the Whitcomb apartment building, knocking out power to everyone inside. Advertisement Most of the tenants were elderly or disabled persons, officials said. Springfield Housing Authority Executive Director William Morlock said most of the displaced individuals were staying with friends and family, or in a nearby hotel. About a dozen displaced persons were also being housed at a temporary shelter that had been set up inside the Housing Authority building on Main Street, Morlock said. Springfield Fire Chief Russel Thompson said at least one resident who was in need of regular care was being temporarily housed at a nearby hospital. Officials said they hope to get everyone moved back into the building by the end of the week.