A woman died in East Boston on Tuesday when the Meridian Street Bridge, also referred to as the Andrew McArdle Bridge, closed on top of her. Boston police are trying to figure out exactly what happened to cause the Massachusetts pedestrian accident.
Aura Garcia was crossing the bridge when it started to open. According to WCVB, the bridge operator did not appear to know that the 46-year-old pedestrian was there and started to raise the structure for a boat traveling on the Chelsea River. When Garcia, who grabbed one of the bridge’s sides, started to scream, the operator lowered it but she then got trapped between the plates and was crushed to death.
The bridge operator has since been put on leave pending the results of an investigation. It is not known right now whether operator error was the cause of the tragic accident or whether Garcia disregarded the alarms or warning lights. Bridge malfunction could also be a factor.
City officials say that the bridge, which is a key connector between East Boston and Chelsea, has been inspected in the last two years. It was reconstructed in the 1990’s. The bridge was shut down for 12 hours in July for repairs.
If you or someone you love was injured in a Massachusetts pedestrian accident that you believe was caused by someone else’s negligence, please contact our Boston injury lawyers today. While pedestrian error can be a factor in causing injury or death, other causes can include driver error, auto defects, malfunctioning traffic signs, poorly designed roads, vehicle malfunction, improperly working crossing signals, bridges, and other problems.
You want to make sure you work with a Boston pedestrian accident law firm that knows how to prove liability, pursue your claim, and recover damages for you. You could have reason to sue another driver, a local entity, an automaker, and others for the harm that you or your loved one has suffered.
Woman killed when bridge shuts on top of her, The Boston Globe, December 31, 2013
Woman killed in Boston drawbridge accident, WCVB, January 1, 2014
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