FARMINGTON – Local police responded to a security alarm at Dyeables Inc. on High Street early Wednesday morning to find a portion of the roof had collapsed under the weight of snow.

After the sensor alarm went off at 2:35 a.m., police found the roof over a rear storage portion of the building had collapsed from snow, a police spokesman said.

The building, owned by Randy Cousineau, is the former location of Farmington Shoe Shop.

Dyeables Inc. President Ted Geppner was not certain Wednesday how long his 30 employees will be out of work.

The company has rented the building since 2000 and distributes footwear, he said.

Lights and heat had been restored to the building Wednesday afternoon, he said, and Cousineau’s crews were working to stabilize a wall between the main section and the storage addition that was undermined, he said.

Geppner expected heavy equipment would have to be brought in to help permanently restore the wall and someone will have to inspect the stability of the building before employees can return to work, he said.

Dyeables Inc. produces formal wear products, including footwear, handbags and dyes.

The collapsed portion was an addition to the original shoe shop, said Mike Simmons of New Sharon, manager of construction and recycling for Cousineau Properties Inc.

An overload of snow collapsed the roof, he said.

Some equipment and shoe pallets were being stored in the damaged portion of the building, but no Dyeables inventory, Geppner said.

Plumbers and electricians were at the site early Wednesday morning to shut off power and water to the building. It was later restored.

A Cousineau crew was shoveling about four feet of snow off the remaining portion of roof Wednesday afternoon.