Another ceiling panel has thoroughly dropped at the Harvard MBTA Red Line station, marking a concerning repetition of similar incidents from two years ago. The MBTA confirmed that the event occurred around 7:30 a.m. earlier today on the southbound platform, thankfully without causing any injuries or disrupting train service. A spokesperson for MBTA pointed out that an immediate investigation was launched and that the station remained open, save for the area directly affected by the fallen panel.
The material of the fallen object, identified as a light tin panel, showed signs of corrosion, reminiscent of past issues at the same station. MBTA crews are set to remove similar panels as a precaution, with visual inspections taking place routinely. However, a more thorough hands-on examination was last conducted over the previous summer. This move to quickly remove the panels seems to contradict the regularity and rigor with which these inspections were previously reported to have been conducted, raising questions about their effectiveness. Sources at NBC10 Boston and CBS News Boston both reported on these supplementary measures.
Harvard Station's history with falling infrastructure isn't a light one. Back in March of 2023, a 25-pound ceiling panel closely missed a T rider. "To look back at the footage and see how close it was to potentially falling on me was hard to see," Cianna Navarro told NBC10 Boston back then. The issue at hand was attributed to water corrosion, leading to the removal of 100 other panels. Moreover, not long after that incident, a woman was struck by a heavy utility box that came loose, resulting in injuries and legal action against the MBTA.
In response to recent incidents, MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng ordered inspections across all stations, aiming to prevent future occurrences. These actions, along with the removal of thirteen similar boxes from a pilot security program, were taken to address the issues. However, the recurrence of these incidents raises questions about the effectiveness of the safety checks. The MBTA is working to address the underlying issues as it continues to manage the situation.
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