1 worker killed, 1 hospitalized after stairwell collapses in Cambridge parking garage

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — One construction worker was killed and another was injured Wednesday when an interior stairwell at a Cambridge parking garage collapsed just before 8:30 a.m. on First Street.

One of the workers, a 56-year-old man, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to a release from the Middlesex County DA’s Office. The other worker, later identified as a 41-year-old man, was taken to a hospital with significant chest and arm injuries, Cambridge Fire Department Chief Gerry Mahoney said.

No names were released. The fire department reported that it responded to the scene at about 8:30 a.m. for a “structure building collapse.”

“Units have responded to a parking garage at Second Street and Spring Street after one of the stairwells collapsed, resulting in significant injuries to two on-site workers conducting restoration work,” city police tweeted.

Fire crews say removing the worker killed was long and difficult. Cambridge Fire Chief Gerry Mahoney gave an update a couple of hours after the incident.

“You are talking steel risers with poured concrete on top. At least a ton if not more,” Chief Mahoney said.

Chief Mahoney added that the two men were helping replace an existing stairway as part of a renovation of the city-owned parking garage.

Cambridge officials told Boston 25 News that Structural Preservation Systems out of Connecticut was the main contractor, but the two workers worked for a sub-contractor. The city contract was for a year-long restoration project. This current work had been underway for a month.

The cause is under investigation by State and local police, as well as the Cambridge Fire Department and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration [OSHA]. The Cambridge accident comes a week after two construction workers were killed when they were struck by a truck in Boston.

The main contractor overseeing the whole project told Boston 25 News that they are saddened by the death and they are working with investigators. Boston 25 Investigates has learned the main contractor has no serious safety violations, according to OSHA.

Construction workers, like Gineton Silva, at a nearby site quickly heard what happened.

“It is very sad whenever someone dies, so you don’t want that happening to anyone or [have] anyone injured,” Silva said.

Gus Lawlor told Boston 25 News that he often parks in the garage.

“The stairways have been in need of repair for some time and they seem to have done a great job working on them,” Lawlor said.

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