Today marks the 90th anniversary of the deadly roof collapse of the Knickerbocker Theater in Washington, D.C., resulting from a massive blizzard that struck portions of the South and the mid-Atlantic.
The weight of heavy snow proved too much for the flat roof of the Knickerbocker Theater, which was built in 1917. Drifting of snow likely led to an uneven distribution of weight that added to the devastating roof collapse that killed 98 people and injured 133 others late on Jan. 28, 1922.
Washington, D.C., was buried by 28.0 inches of snow from the blizzard, setting a record for the heaviest snow in 24 hours. This record still stands today.
The storm shut down all forms of travel in the nation's capitol, forcing people to travel on foot in the treacherous weather conditions.
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