Massachusetts

Boston Woman Injured After Third-Floor Porch Collapses at Hyde Park Home

Dramatic doorbell video captured the moment the woman crashed through her third-floor staircase before heading over a second-floor railing headfirst and landing on a parked car in the driveway.

NBC Universal, Inc.

A Boston woman had to be taken to the hospital Friday after she was sent tumbling three stories down when the porch she was on collapsed at her triple-decker home.

Dramatic doorbell video captured the moment the woman crashed through her third-floor staircase before heading over a second-floor railing headfirst and landing on a parked car in the driveway.

The scary incident happened Friday afternoon at 1074 River Street in Boston's Hyde Park neighborhood.

Neighbor Ariel Davis, who rushed over to help the woman, said, "I heard a loud boom so I thought it was a car accident."

Davis found the woman banged up but otherwise okay.

“I went out and I saw my cousin’s friend like on the ground, and so I ran to see what happened and like the stairs was collapsed and like she was on the ground so I helped her up and she had like bruises and stuff....” Davis said.

Boston District Fire Chief Paul Luciano says building inspectors will now take a close look at the outdoor staircase.

“Just by looking at it anyone could tell that the craftsmanship isn’t correct,” Luciano said.

It's not clear why the staircase collapsed but investigators say it has had problems in the past.

“I’ve notified the building department to come by and scrutinize the building," Luciano said. "It’s been reported to us that there’s a history of negligence in this building.”

Davis is just glad someone parked in the driveway before the accident because she fears what might have happened if it had been empty.

“If the car wasn’t there, for sure she would’ve probably broken her neck or something so the car saved her,” Davis said.

The woman is in the hospital as of Friday night but neighbors say she appeared to be fine other than some bruises, cuts and ripped clothes.

Contact Us