BOSTON — Black smoke was seen pouring from South Station Tower in downtown Boston on Tuesday morning after a fire broke out at a construction site, prompting a temporary pause on work to allow for a safety audit, officials said.
Video shared with Boston 25 News showed a thick plume of smoke billowing into the air near the MBTA’s South Station during the height of the morning commute.
The Boston Fire Department said firefighters worked to extinguish burning materials on an outside deck on the ninth floor of a building under construction at 700 Atlantic Avenue.
While Red Line, Silver Line, and Commuter Rail service ran as normal, the MBTA said a pair of bus routes were detoured during the emergency response.
The fire at South Station Tower comes after a dislodged steel beam recently plummeted hundreds of feet.
Suffolk Construction later announced the blaze was caused by J.F. Stearns union workers who were welding tube steel and that fire watchers on site responded quickly and extinguished it before anyone was injured.
The job site has since been shut down to allow for a safety audit, a spokesperson for the construction company said in a statement
“Suffolk unilaterally announced a safety standdown for all workers on the South Station project and has voluntarily shut down the job site for a comprehensive job site safety audit. We will be redoubling safety protocols and reviewing the safety plans and procedures of every subcontractor on the job site,” the spokesperson said. “Suffolk will require union leaders and subcontractors to walk the job site with a Suffolk representative, and the union representatives, subcontractors, and all personnel will be required to reconfirm their commitment to following all safety protocols. Suffolk will determine when work can resume after the comprehensive safety audit has been completed.”
A mandatory meeting has also been scheduled with the union, subcontractor, and Suffolk leadership to reinforce the importance of safety, the spokesperson added.
The incident remains under investigation.
Companies working at a fire of construction materials on the outside deck of the 9th floor of a building under construction at 700 Atlantic Ave. No injuries to report. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. pic.twitter.com/5sBpElaJfY
— Boston Fire Dept. (@BostonFire) April 9, 2024
There is a large @BostonFire presence at South Station due to a reported fire at a construction site above the Station. The situation is contained, and there is no impact to Red Line, Silver Line or @MBTA_CR service. Bus routes 7 + 11 are detoured.
— MBTA (@MBTA) April 9, 2024
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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