Local News

Investigation underway after large piece of rigging falls at South Station entrance

There were no injuries following the incident.

Construction of South Station Tower continues in Boston, MA. Craig F. Walker/The Boston Globe

November 12, 2024

1 minute to read

An investigation is underway after a scaffolding plank fell from a nearby building and landed near the entrance of South Station on Friday.

According to Lisa Timberlake, a Boston Inspectional Services Department spokesperson, a piece of rigging gear fell from One Financial Center, a 46-story skyscraper across the street from the station.

Following the incident, city inspectors and federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration officials responded to the scene. The management company for One Financial Center will submit a report this week.

Timberlake said no one was hurt.

Joe Alfonso, the senior general manager for One Financial Center, confirmed that a contractor installed scaffolding plank fell from the roof Friday evening.

“We are relieved that no one was hurt and there was no damage to any neighboring buildings,” Alfonso wrote in an email to Boston.com.

The contractor has removed all scaffolding plants from One Financial to ensure no further threat to public safety.

Management says it continues to work with the proper authorities to determine any additional remedial action.

OSHA did not immediately respond with additional information.

A Brockton woman told Boston 25 News that she saw the piece of metal plummeting toward the ground and warned fellow South Station commuters to run.

“It was probably almost the size of an average door … it’s a heavy, thick piece of metal,” Michelle Trail told Boston 25 News.

She added, “Someone could have been killed today.”

The incident isn’t the first time South Station, an ongoing construction site, has had a near miss. In March, a steel beam fell more than 20 stories and landed on the roof of the South Station commuter rail platform.