Tale of two domes

The dramatic collapse of the Metrodome in Minneapolis early Sunday after a record snowfall and heavy winds sent two professional football teams scrambling to find another field.

The Minnesota Vikings and New York Giants ended up playing in Detroit Monday night. Before the Metrodome's collapse, Minneapolis officials already had decided on Saturday to delay the game because the snow on the facility's roof could not be safely cleared.

Not only did Minneapolis receive 17.1 inches of snow between Friday night and Saturday night, but high winds kept workers off the roof. There have been other tears in the Metrodome roof, which consists of 10 acres of Teflon-coated Fiberglas panels 1/16th of an inch thick and weighs 580,000 pounds, the New York Times reported. Its peak is 195 feet.

The only other dome in the country using the same Teflon-coated Fiberglas, lattice-cabled roof system is the Syracuse Carrier Dome, the Syracuse-Post Standard notes. The two domes were built in the early 1980s.

The people who maintain the Syracuse Carrier Dome have offered materials, expertise and labor to help repair and raise the collapsed Metrodome roof in Minneapolis. The Carrier Dome's roof covers 6.5 acres.

Much goes into monitoring such roofs and keeping snow from accumulating. Cameras, fire hoses, heating strategies and plenty of shoveling are involved.

Hats off to Pete Sala and his crew at the Syracuse University Carrier Dome who deal with the elements each winter, watching the roof carefully so that the games and other events can go on as planned.