Flooded basements are certainly no picnic at any time of year, but flooding in winter can have particularly problematic results. Perhaps even more frightening than the mess this will cause once it melts is the water bill the homeowners will have to pay. But maybe they can recoup the cost by advertising their basement as a temporary ice rink. That, or they can just convert the basement into a swimming pool once summer arrives.
Remember, on those extra cold days, make sure at least one of your sinks is kept on a slow drip so that water continually moves through the pipes. Otherwise, the water might freeze, burst, and potentially cause a catastrophe like this one.