Ceiling panel falls at Harvard Square MBTA station

An insulation panel fell from the ceiling Wednesday afternoon near the platform at the Harvard Square MBTA station on the Red Line, authorities said.

A second insulation panel was removed from the ceiling as structural engineers inspected the ceiling to determine the cause, MBTA spokesperson Joe Pesaturo wrote in a statement.

There were no injuries due to the incident, which occurred around 4 p.m., Pesaturo said. The area was cordoned off around 4:20 p.m, Pesaturo said.

Peter D’Angelo, who works and lives near the station, was nearly hit by the falling panel. He was heading up the stairs after stepping off a southbound train at Harvard station, D’Angelo said.

“By the time I got up the second stair, I heard a big bang behind me,” D’Angelo said. “I turned around and was met by black dust to the face.”

D’Angelo said he saw another person even closer, right next to where the panel fell. Thankfully, they told him they were unhurt, he said.

He was unable to find an MBTA worker to notify, D’Angelo said, so he posted a photo to his Twitter account.

Just getting my daily dose of asbestos AND NEARLY DYING as the ceiling falls down at Harvard Square Station - thanks @MBTA ! pic.twitter.com/R6OmykVHyH

— Peter D'Angelo (@peterdangelo) March 1, 2023