100 Ceiling Panels Removed From Massachusetts Subway Station After Rider's Near-Miss

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MTBA) said workers removed around 100 ceiling panels after one almost fell on a commuter at the Harvard Station in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on Wednesday, March 1.

Footage shared with Storyful shows the panel narrowly missing a commuter as it plummets to the ground. The MTBA said it estimated that the panel weighed approximately 25 pounds when it fell.

According to a post on the MTBA Twitter page, the initial finding suggested that water had accumulated in the panel insulation, which was installed around 1980, and corroded the metal rivets holding it in place.

The rider, identified as Cianna Navarro, told local media that she was in a “state of shock” following the incident.

“I didn’t really understand the severity of it until the MBTA came out and said it was up to 25 pounds,” Navarro said. “Once I had gathered that information, it kind of felt like a second wave of shock, of understanding how bad it potentially could’ve been.” Credit: Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority via Storyful