Jul 13, 2009 6:26 pm US/Eastern
Partial Building Collapse Closes Huntington Ave.
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
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Debris from the collapse covered the sidewalk outside 337 Huntington Ave. Monday.
WBZ
Even veteran firefighters and Emergency Medical Technicians are amazed that no one was hurt when tons of concrete crashed from the roof of a dorm at Northeastern University Monday morning.
The concrete façade tumbled about 5-and-a-half stories onto a sidewalk and main thoroughfare during the morning rush hour. "It sounded like a mini earthquake. I originally thought it was trains on the trolley crashing," said Emily Garvey, a third year law student.
Watch: Raw Video From Scene
It happened about 8:30 Monday morning in the 300 block of Huntington Avenue, usually crowded at that time with students and other pedestrians in the heart of the Northeastern campus. Firefighters evacuated some 60 students who were inside the dorm and the building next door.
"I think it's a miracle no one was hurt. I would have been running down the street at 8:30 to get to a class but it was cancelled today," explained Garvey who lives in the building next door.
Boston Police say an officer on paid detail, who called it in, was hit with minimal debris but not seriously hurt.
View: Google Map Of Location
The company replacing the roof when the concrete cornice collapsed is Progressive Roofing. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, in November 2008, found Progressive had 5 serious violations for wiring and design protection, general requirements, scaffold specifications and fall protection. The company was fined $9,000 dollars.
"There may be violations forthcoming. It's still under investigation. It's really too soon to determine what's going to happen at this time," said Lisa Timberlake, spokeswoman for Boston Inspectional Services.
The E branch of the Green Line was shut down for several hours for fear its vibration might trigger a further collapse.
"I would have been right there 'cause that's exactly the time I go down there and normally it's packed there in the morning. I'm shocked no one was hurt. It's amazing. It's a miracle," concluded Garvey.
Green line service was restored by early afternoon but car traffic was limited to two lanes on Huntington Avenue as late as evening rush hour.
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