A box truck crashed into a building Tuesday afternoon in Boston’s Chinatown neighborhood and hit several pedestrians before flipping onto its side, city officials said. The driver and five others were injured in what authorities said appears to have been an accident.
“At least at this preliminary juncture, we don’t have any reason to believe that this was an intentional act,” Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden said at a news conference. “It may very well end up being a tragic accident.”
Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox said four people were hospitalized. The driver and one pedestrian were in critical condition early on, but several hours later the driver’s condition had improved. Two others declined medical treatment at the scene. Cox and others noted that the outcome could have been far worse given the location.
“This is such a busy part of the city, right on the middle of the day, people going back and forth on their way to get lunch and support our small businesses,” Mayor Michelle Wu said. “And so it’s quite shocking to see the scene as it stands right now.”
The Boston Fire Department, on social media, said the Penske truck struck multiple poles and was wedged between a pole and the building. Firefighters extracted the trapped driver from the cab of truck.
In a statement, Penske spokesman Randolph Ryerson said it was “aware of the incident” and was monitoring it closely.
“Penske will be cooperating fully with authorities to support their investigation,” Ryerson said. “Our thoughts are with those who have been injured in this unfortunate incident. Based on our records, the truck involved was out on rent to a commercial trucking company. We have no other information at this time.”
Police did not provide the driver’s name or the circumstances that led to the accident. Images from the scene showed the truck on its side surrounded by police officers and firefighters. The truck appeared to be empty, Hayden said.
The crash initially raised fears of terrorism, coming four months after a man inspired by the terrorist group Islamic State killed 14 people by driving a truck through crowds on historic Bourbon Street.
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