Hollow sidewalks in Boston getting a closer look after woman falls 10 feet through one

BOSTON - Many of us walk by the signs around Boston every day without even noticing. "Warning: Hollow Sidewalk, No Parking," they say.

"This right here is hollow from here, all the way," said Pastor Joe Swilley, pointing to the sidewalk in front of Bethlehem Healing Church in Dorchester. His daughter, Gayle, fell through a section where an entrance to the church meets the sidewalk. He says the church's basement runs underneath it. An adjoining section of the building had already undergone demolition. 

Swilley said it happened when she was leaving the church Friday. 

"When she stepped on it, she fell 10 feet into the basement, broke her leg in three places," he said. The electricity to the building has been shut off, with no services until the building is repaired. "It's God's mercy that that didn't kill her," said Swilley.

It raises questions about hollow sidewalks throughout the city, like on Tremont Street in the Theater District, where there's a warning sign. 

"The city should follow up on places where they have those signs," said one man passing by.

There's also a plaque with a caution sign about the hollow sidewalk in Post Office Square. 

"I'm going to run now because now I'm worried it's going to collapse," said a tourist visiting from England.

There are several signs on a building across from the Massachusetts State House where the historic Capitol Coffee House sits.

"Big trucks - if they stop here, it's dangerous," said owner Sam Mione.

"The hollow sidewalks were primarily used for delivering materials to buildings," said structural engineer James Lambrecht, a professor at Wentworth Institute of Technology. "Coal, in particular, was delivered through hollow sidewalks through the 1800s and into the 1900s," he said.

He said warning signs are critically important because hollow sidewalks may not hold the weight of a vehicle. He says they're usually safe for walking unless the building under them is compromised. 

At Bethlehem Healing Temple, Pastor Swilley is praying for a miracle and hopes to reopen for services next week. 

"We are asking for donations if you want to see the work of the lord move on," he said.

We asked Mayor Michelle Wu what the city can do to keep unsuspecting pedestrians safe with hollow sidewalks all over Boston.

"They're called area ways and we've actually been looking at these in the last couple of months because we want to make sure that all of our sidewalks are not only safe but accessible, fixed up and easy to use," said Mayor Wu.

The mayor says while the city has responsibility for maintaining public sidewalks, care for the structure below is in private hands, therefore many of the hollow sidewalks are owned and should be maintained by private owners.

"We're working very closely to guarantee that everywhere in the city the sidewalks would be safe," said Mayor Wu. "But we're also working in general to get a better handle of how we can work with property owners and fix up all the sidewalks."

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