A box truck crashed into a building in downtown Boston on Tuesday afternoon, flipping onto its side and injuring several people, city officials said.
The incident occurred just before 1 p.m. near the intersection of Kneeland Street and Harrison Avenue in the city’s Chinatown neighborhood, the Boston Fire Department said in a statement on social media.
Firefighters responded to the area shortly after the incident, following reports that a truck had struck “multiple poles” and become “wedged between a pole and the building.”
Extrication tools were used to remove the driver who became trapped in the cab of the truck, Boston Fire said.
City officials later confirmed that the crash had injured six people. Four were taken to nearby hospitals and at least one of the victims remained in critical condition on Tuesday, Police Commissioner Michael Cox said at a press conference.
While the incident remains under investigation, officials believe the crash “seems to be more of a tragic accident than anything else,” Cox said.
Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden echoed the commissioner’s words, saying investigators have “no reason to believe” the crash was an intentional attack.
“We’re going to follow the facts and where they lead us to determine what exactly happened here,” Hayden said.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said it was “quite shocking” to witness the “scale of damage” caused by the crash.
“This is such a busy part of the city [and] it’s right in the middle of the day,” the mayor said.