Local News

Chunk of MBTA’s downtown concourse ceiling falls due to water damage

“We thank the public for notifying the T about the station issue at Park Street earlier this week," the MBTA said.

A hole in the ceiling of the MBTA's Winter Street Concourse. Molly Farrar/Boston.com

October 23, 2025

1 minute to read

Part of the ceiling of the MBTA’s Winter Street concourse fell and caused a hole Tuesday morning, as commuters traveled the tunnel between the Green and Orange lines downtown, the MBTA said.

Turlach MacDonagh, a Bluesky user, shared images of the fallen ceiling on social media, including the broken plaster on the ground in the concourse connecting Park Street and Downtown Crossing stations.

“When does the MBTA start handing out hard hats?” MacDonagh wrote.

The hole in the ceiling, according to the MBTA, was caused by water intrusion. The transit agency sent bridge inspectors to remove any materials, and the director of engineering determined the area was safe for service. The debris was cleaned, and the passageway remained opened.

“We thank the public for notifying the T about the station issue at Park Street earlier this week,” the spokesperson said. “T personnel were dispatched immediately to address the issue and ensure safety.”

Earlier this year, a larger corroded ceiling panel fell at the Red Line’s Harvard station. No one was injured, and similar panels were removed from the station overnight, a spokesperson said at the time.

The chunk that fell in the concourse was “nothing like the ones that have come down in Harvard,” MacDonagh said, “but it was still enough to have caused some decent damage to one’s head.”

Walking in the concourse Wednesday afternoon, Daniel Murdock, of Malden, said “obviously, it’s concerning” when asked about the falling ceiling.

“Hopefully (General Manager Phil) Eng and his team will continue to clean up and focus on rehab of some of the physical facilities in addition to the trains,” Murdock said.