BOSTON — A woman who was injured by falling debris that likely came from a construction site near the North End is in stable, but critical condition, according to Boston Police.
Officers received a call at around 8:30 a.m. on Thursday for reports of a person injured in the area of 85 Atlantic Avenue in Boston's North End neighborhood.
Evidence still being collected at scene on Atlantic Ave where woman was hiit by falling railing. Police say woman is alive. https://t.co/rUhiqYlRT4 pic.twitter.com/HREOJVsJN5
— Evan White (@EvanWhiteIII) July 25, 2019
According to Boston Police Officer Kim Tavares, the object may have been a pole or some other debris that possibly fell from a construction site. Investigators believe it came down from a crane that was lifting materials to the roof of a five-story building.
Related: No injuries reported in second crane accident Thursday near TD Garden
"Just the drama of this metal barricade falling down on this woman from five stories up, it shakes you up," said Jacelyn Botti of the North End
Surveillance video from nearby shows the woman fall to the ground after being hit and witnesses rushing in to help. In another video, you can see two witnesses carrying away a section of metal railing.
The woman, only identified as a woman in her 30's, sustained life-threatening injuries.
"Honestly it could have been me," Botti said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with her and her family."
My heart goes out to the woman involved in the terrible event this morning in the North End, and I pray she will be okay. There is currently a full investigation underway by city and federal agencies to get to the bottom of what happened.
— Mayor Marty Walsh (@marty_walsh) July 25, 2019
Amy Eng, who works nearby, said one of her customers rushed to help the woman.
"She just said she saw the metal fall on top of the girl -- hit her in the head and she ran into the health club and got a towel and waited for the ambulance to come," Eng said.
Police, ISD say they can’t confirm now if it was a piece of railing hit the woman, a witness who has seen surveillance video said it was the railing. All part of inv
— Evan White (@EvanWhiteIII) July 25, 2019
.@boston25
OSHA has been notified and is assisting with the investigation. According to a company spokesperson for Corolla Contracting, the company responsible for the construction in the area of the incident, the company is complying with the investigation.
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The Inspectional Services Department of Boston released a statement Thursday evening regarding the two construction accidents that occurred earlier in the day.
The City of Boston and Inspectional Services Department take safety at construction sites very seriously. We are actively working with our partner agencies to determine the cause of both incidents that occurred today, and we will use the information learned through those investigations to inform if any actions are needed. We are grateful that no one was injured in the incident at the West End construction site and our prayers continue to be with the woman who sustained serious injuries this morning in the North End.
Boston 25 News looked into the history of complaints related to Corolla Contracting, also known as Corolla Roofing, which operates out of Winthrop, and found several entries:
• In 2014 for "crane and fall safety"
• In 2016 for "fall safety"
• In 2017 for fall safety "training and protection"
• Most recently in 2018 for "fall safety"
Boston 25 News found all these cases ended with informal settlements. Multiple calls to Corolla Roofing were not returned on Thursday night.
Even as officials taped off the area, many regulars said they would be crossing the street to avoid walking by the building.
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