Vermont business 'socked in' by mud, water after flash flooding
St. Johnsbury received nearly 8.5 inches of rain on Tuesday, marking one of the wettest days in Vermont history. The owners of Papa Tirozzi's Bakery and Pizza are working to clear out mud and reopen.
Vermont business, homes damaged during flash flooding emergency
Papa Tirozzi's is among the businesses impacted by severe flooding in Vermont after a flash flooding emergency. St. Johnsbury received nearly 8.5 inches of rain on Tuesday. Co-owner Nancy Tirozzi describes waking up to a "life-threatening flood" emergency at 4 a.m. and having trouble getting to her business because of flooding.
ST. JOHNSBURY, Vt. – Business owners and residents in Vermont are cleaning up muck and debris after more than two months' worth of rain fell in one day, creating a flash flood emergency and widespread damage.
St. Johnsbury received nearly 8.5 inches of rain Tuesday, marking one of the wettest days in Vermont history. The average rainfall for July is 4.53 inches.
Nancy Tirozzi, co-owner of Papa Tirozzi's Bakery and Pizza, and The Fish Shack, told FOX Weather she went to bed Monday night expecting they would get "some rain."
"At about 4 a.m., our phones started sounding very loud, an alarm saying that we were in a life-threatening flood area," Tirozzi said.
Mud and water in the Tirozzi's Bakery parking lot and outdoor seating area after the July 30 flooding in Vermont.
On Tuesday, when the Tirozzis tried to reach their restaurant along Moose River, they saw an ongoing water rescue with a man on top of his car. The roads were closed to Papa Tirozzi's and many other businesses in St. Johnsbury.
When they did arrive, they watched as their patio furniture and other items floated away in the floodwater.
Before the flooding, the business had a patio area with covered picnic tables and green grass. After the flooding, photos show the business's parking lot looking like a lake.
Tirozzi's Bakery seating before the July 30 flooding.
"There is so much water that in some areas of our property, there was 3 to 4 inches, and some, there was 2 to 3 feet," she said. "We were pretty socked in there with mud and water."
More photos show several inches of mud were caked across Papa Tirozzi's floor. None of the kitchen and cooking equipment was damaged.
Mud on the floor after the July 30 flooding at Tirozzi's Bakery in Vermont.
(Tirozzi's Bakery)
The business owners have already started the cleanup process and hope to reopen within a week with the help of their neighbors.
"The community has really reached out. We have a neighbor who's going to come and help even out our driveway," Tirozzi said, adding another neighbor offered to clear parking spots.
Tirozzi said she is most upset about the restaurant's front lawn, a popular spot for families to eat and play.
"We have lots of kids' games, and people take their food and sit out there on the patio. It's a real family-friendly area. A lot of people bring their dogs," she said. "I'm really sad that we may have lost our lawn for the rest of the summer."
According to the St. Johnsbury Department of Public Works, crews continue to assess and repair damage to roads impacted by flooding. Many roads are expected to stay closed through Wednesday. Some roads are passable but only open to one lane.