Video: BJ’s Roof Collapses During New Jersey Flash Flooding

Twenty-seven people evacuated safely

By Tanja Kern, Senior Strategic Content Editor

interior of warehouse — Photo courtesy of Monmouth County Sheriff's Office

BJ’s Wholesale Club in Ocean Township, N.J.

A portion of the roof at a BJ’s Wholesale Club in Ocean Township, N.J., collapsed this week as torrential rain overwhelmed communities across the state and caused widespread flooding, power outages and transportation disruptions.

At approximately 11:16 am, emergency personnel were dispatched to BJs following reports of a partial roof collapse. There were 27 people inside the building at the time. Two individuals were partially entrapped but were able to free themselves and safely exit the structure, according to a statement by the Monmouth County Sheriff's Office.

Surveillance footage showed water and debris rushing into the store as part of the roof gave way near shoppers and merchandise. Authorities had not announced an official cause of the structural failure, which occurred amid intense rainfall and flash flooding across the area.

Radar estimates indicated Ocean Township received about 6.8 inches of rain within 48 hours, according to The Weather Channel. At times, rainfall rates approached 2 inches per hour, leaving roads, businesses and residential neighborhoods underwater.

Video courtesy of News 12 New Jersey via YouTube

The storms extended across New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Connecticut, knocking out electricity to tens of thousands of customers. In New Jersey alone, utilities were addressing roughly 500,000 storm-related outages, with about 50,000 customers still without power when the state issued its latest update.

Gov. Mikie Sherrill said the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management remained activated and was coordinating with municipalities, utilities, transportation agencies and emergency responders.

“Our communities have been hit hard, and we will continue to help them recover,” Sherrill said.

The State Emergency Operations Center remained fully operational, while emergency officials maintained contact with all 21 counties. The state also opened an online damage-assessment portal to document storm losses and determine whether affected communities could qualify for federal assistance.

New Jersey Department of Transportation crews responded to flooded highways, fallen trees and other storm damage. Officials urged motorists to avoid flooded roads rather than attempt to drive through standing water.

The storms also damaged NJ Transit infrastructure. More than 50 trees reportedly fell across tracks and overhead electrical wires during several days of extreme heat, thunderstorms and high winds. Crews restored service on most rail lines, although portions of several routes remained disrupted.

The roof collapse at the BJ’s store was among the most dramatic examples of the storm’s impact. Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden credited the coordinated emergency response with ensuring everyone inside was safely accounted for.

The extent of the damage to the building and a timetable for reopening had not been announced.

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Tanja Kern covers economic trends and the intersection of architecture, design, and construction for Roofing Contractor, with an emphasis on the forces reshaping the industry. She develops and amplifies content that connects roofing professionals with the intelligence they need to compete and grow.

With more than 20 years of experience, Tanja has written for national business, consumer and trade publications. She holds a Master of Science in magazine publishing from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.