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.
This browser does not support the video element.
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.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW