A city building inspector ordered a Mission Hill property owner to hire an engineer to analyze the stability of a three-family residence on 1538 Tremont St. that was damaged by the collaspe of its back porch Friday night.
Approximately a dozen individuals were injured by the collapse, according to a spokesperson for the city Inspectional Services Department, who said today that a violation “may be forthcoming†for the property owner, and orders to hire engineers are “typical practice when there is a collapse of this magnitude.â€
A demolition team was en route to remove the remnants of the fallen porch, which dangled off the red-brick apartment’s back facade late Saturday morning. Broken railings, a grill, and a stool were scattered in the small backyard. A gaping hole, where a beam apparently pulled away, was also visible.
The property owner was identified as Melbourne Street Partners LLP on a sign posted in the foyer. However, the department’s spokesperson, Lisa Timberlake, said she could not currently provide the media with the property owner’s name., and the residence does not appear to be listed on the City of Boston’s website.
A call placed to the company was not returned Saturday.
The residence belongs to one of two apartment buildings located in the middle of a small block, and it is adjacent to a campaign office for mayoral candidate Charlotte Golar Richie.
Mike Bosse, deputy superintendent for Boston EMS, said at the scene that about a dozen young adults were injured in the fall and seven were taken to area hospitals, mostly for neck and back injuries.
“Fortunately, nobody had any life-threatening injuries,†Bosse said. “Nobody was knocked unconscious, nobody has any broken bones.â€
Northeastern University students who live in the adjacent apartment building said the two buildings are occupied by college students, some of whom attend nearby Wentworth Institute of Technology, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Massachusetts College of Art.
Students who lived in the apartment where the porch collapsed are believed to attend the art school, said Jason Cho, who lives in the building next door.
“They don’t have a lot of parties,†said Cho, 21, a third year pharmacy student at Northeastern. “They pretty much go out there to chill.â€
The site of a collapsed porch surprised Cho and his roommate, Ravi Hirani.
“This is really ridiculous,†said Hirani, 21, as he stood on his second floor, wooden porch next door. “I’m glad we have a garage beneath us,†he said.
Neither Hirani nor Cho were home when the porch collapsed late Friday night.
Alyssa Creamer can be reached at alyssa.creamer@globe.com. Kathy McCabe can be reached at KMccabe@globe.com. Travis Andersen of the Globe Staff and Globe correspondent Haven Orecchio-Egresitz contributed to this report.
