It's been many years since highway bureaucrats have been allowed to bulldoze neighborhoods to pave the way for high-speed car traffic - so some car owners are taking matters into their own hands.
The Boston Fire Department has had to respond to multiple crashes in recent days involving car drivers who are crashing into and causing major structural damage to two three* buildings in South Boston.
The first crash, in the early morning hours of Oct. 16, ruined McGoo's Pizzeria on West Broadway. Crews had to install a temporary load-bearing support column to keep the building from collapsing entirely, and six residents of the building's apartments were displaced:
At approximately 1:00 am a car into the building at 479 West Broadway st. South Boston . A Tech Rescue response for structural damage to the building, which has been evacuated . pic.twitter.com/dQnwbdMk3K
— Boston Fire Dept. (@BostonFire) October 16, 2020
Then on Saturday, another driver used their vehicle to destroy the foundation of an apartment building at 614 E. 3rd Street, leaving 17 residents homeless:
At approximately 7:15 Tech Rescue for a car into the building at 614 East Third St South Boston. The residents of the building have been evacuated . pic.twitter.com/wZx8b3pvwB
— Boston Fire Dept. (@BostonFire) October 18, 2020
Neither of the buildings was wearing helmets or bright clothing when the crashes occurred.
*UPDATE: two days after this story initially published, a third driver backed their car onto the sidewalk and caused major damage to the storefront of an insurance office at 659 Broadway:
A approximately 11:05 AM a car into the building building at 651 East Broadway st. South Boston. No injuries to report, awaiting the arrival of the @ISDBoston building inspector. The cause of the crash is under investigation by @bostonpolice . pic.twitter.com/bhuFhjVbVV
— Boston Fire Dept. (@BostonFire) October 21, 2020
