The operators working the vertical lift on the Chelsea Street Bridge Feb. 7 have been suspended at the behest of MassDOT after a couple in a vehicle got trapped on the bridge and lifted all the way to the top.
On Feb. 7, MassDOT said, a vehicle got caught between the safety gates on the deck of the bridge. Due to apparently not following procedures, the lift operators then lifted the bridge all the way to the top with the couple still on the deck in their car.
On Friday, Feb. 8, after learning of this incident, MassDOT directed the contractor responsible for operating the Chelsea Street Bridge to suspend until further notice the operators who were on duty on Thursday evening, Feb. 7.
“While fortunately no one was injured in this incident, the failure of operators to act according to safety procedures warranted their immediate suspension,” said a MassDOT spokesman.
MassDOT said it is unaware of any other instance of a vehicle being between the safety gates when the Chelsea Street Bridge has been raised and is continuing to investigate how this could have occurred on February 7.