BOSTON — One person is dead after being struck by a car that also hit a Faulkner Hospital building in Boston’s Jamaica Plain neighborhood, rupturing a gas line and forcing the area to be shut down to traffic on Thursday.
Officials said that the person was sitting on a bench outside the hospital when they were hit by the vehicle before it continued on and hit the hospital’s Belkin House after 10:30 a.m.
Two people inside the vehicle were also hospitalized with minor injuries.
Officials say they do not believe the crash was deliberate and said it appeared to be a tragic accident.
“A preliminary investigation indicates that this was not a deliberate act. We are very sure given what we know at this point,” Boston Police Superintendent Paul McLaughlin said during a news conference at the scene. “This was in fact a very tragic situation.”
The Belkin House, a standalone building on the hospital campus, was evacuated as a precaution, a Mass General Brigham spokesperson told Boston 25.
“The main hospital building is safe and continuing operations at this time,“ a hospital spokesperson said. ”There are traffic impacts in the area due to the presence of emergency responders. This is an evolving situation, and we will provide an update as soon as we are able.”
Video from the scene showed an active emergency response, with multiple investigators photographing the wreck.
Eversource has responded and is working to fix the ruptured gas line.
It wasn’t immediately clear if the driver involved will face charges.
The cause of the crash is under investigation.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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