USA Today | By Fernando Cervantes Jr. | April 1, 2025
Source: Box truck hits pedestrians in Boston’s Chinatown, injuring 4 people
theNational.buzz Summary:
- A box truck collided with pedestrians in Boston’s Chinatown, sending four individuals to the hospital, with one critically injured.
- Mayor Michelle Wu and Police Commissioner Michael Cox emphasize it appears to be a tragic accident, although the investigation is ongoing.
- The driver was trapped and required a specialized rescue by the Boston Fire Department before being freed from the truck’s cab.
A box truck hit several pedestrians in Boston’s Chinatown neighborhood on Tuesday, sending four people to the hospital, local officials said.
Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox said during a news conference that the apparent accident happened just before 1 p.m. local time.
Of the four people hospitalized, one was in critical condition, another was in fair condition and another in good condition, a Tufts Medical Center spokesperson told USA TODAY.
“A preliminary investigation seems to indicate that this seems to be more of a tragic accident than anything else, however,” Cox said. “It’s still under investigation.”
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu: ‘Quite shocking’
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said the incident is “quite shocking,” especially since it happened during a busy time of the day in the neighborhood.
“This is such a busy part of the city, right in the middle of the day, people going back and forth on their way to get lunch, to support our small businesses, carrying out their daily routines, so it is quite shocking to see the scene as it stands right now,” she said.
Boston Fire Department officials said in the same news conference that the driver was stuck in a precarious position inside of the truck’s cab.
“The technical team, if you see the cab there, they actually had to cut the top of the cab and peel it back to get the driver out,” Deputy Fire Chief Steven Shaffer said.
Penske Transportation Solutions, whose rented truck was involved in the incident, told USA TODAY that it is cooperating with local authorities.
“We are aware of the incident that occurred in Boston. This is an ongoing situation that we’re monitoring closely,” spokesman Alen Beljin 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.”
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
