"The most feeling of helplessness I've ever felt in my entire life": Leominster homeowners caught off guard without flood insurance
LEOMINSTER - After Monday's historic flooding in Leominster, many homeowners are worried how they'll rebuild without flood insurance.
"This is just stuff everywhere," said Mike Mahoney, who's cleaning up his flooded basement while his wife takes care of their toddler and two-week-old baby at her parents' house. About 10 inches of rain fell in a matter of hours Monday, filling the Mahoneys' yard and basement with waist-deep water.
"The most feeling of helplessness I've ever felt in my entire life," said his wife, Christina Mahoney.
"We lost the hot water tank, we lost the furnace, I'm assuming we lost the washer and the dryer," said Mike Mahoney.
The Mahoneys have standard homeowners insurance and none of the flood damage will be covered.
"I don't live near a body of water, I live on a main street right off the highway," said Mike Mahoney. "To think I would need flood insurance, I would never think I would need flood insurance."
Two homeowners on Pleasant Street also don't have flood insurance and now they're left with a sinkhole in front of their home.
"They both worked 40 years to purchase that house and pay it off and basically in a blink of an eye, it's gone," said their son, Andre Obin. "Obviously that's unnerving but the most important thing is that they made it out alive."
Obin created an online fundraiser for his parent to help them pay for a hotel and immediate needs.
"The community has been so strong and loving and my parents feel it, I feel it," said Obin.
Leominster has set up a non-emergency hotline for anyone who needs help with things like basement flooding and sump pumps. Leominster Emergency Management can be contacted at 978-534-7580.
To help those affected by the flooding in Leominster, click here.