Investigation underway after Allston restaurant facade collapses

BOSTON, Mass. — An investigation is underway in Allston as engineers are trying to figure out what caused a restaurant's facade to collapse, injuring two people.

The debris critically injured a woman who is still in the hospital. Fire officials say the woman was walking by when she was hit and trapped by the falling concrete.

The facade came crashing down Sunday afternoon right outside Common Grounds on Harvard Avenue. Crews worked all day Monday at the scene, trying to clean up some of the debris. But they still have a long way to go.

Surrounding businesses will be shut down for the next few days, if not through the end of the week.

Bob O'Guin, owner of Common Grounds, said he was inside when it happened. He came running out to see the rubble on the sidewalk and immediately realized someone was trapped underneath.

"At the hair salon, they all came out and pulled the lady out," he said.

The city's Inspectional Services Department was on scene Monday alongside crews for most of the day. The commissioner, Buddy Christopher, told Boston 25 News that investigators were surprised to find that the building itself is structurally sound and the issue seems to be with the facade attached to it.

While the investigation is still ongoing, Christopher said he believes a number of factors could have come into play.

"It is my belief that freeze thaw had a lot to do with it, there was an appendage of a sign that caused vibration and friction and that was also part of what happened," said Christopher. "We had some extreme winds the past two weeks. There was vibration and movement of that that may have dislodged some of the blocks - once one of the blocks moves, it's a domino effect."

The city of Boston does not require yearly inspections of facades under 70 feet, like this one.

There are no violations on record related to the structure of the building itself or the facade, according to the city. An official cause of the collapse is expected to be released later this week.

Meanwhile, O'Guin said going forward, one of his biggest fears is how long his employees might be without a paycheck.

"I'm worried about my employees' income," he said. "That's one of my main worries."

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