EAST BOSTON

Historic Building Partially Collapses in East Boston

The barn on White Street is a historic landmark that belonged to Donald McKay, a shipbuilder from the 1850s and an important figure in East Boston

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Emergency crews responded Friday to a report of a partial building collapse at a historic landmark in East Boston.

Boston police said they are investigating the reported collapse on White Street. There was no immediate word on how serious the collapse is or if there are any injuries.

The barn on White Street is a historic landmark that belonged to Donald McKay, a shipbuilder from the 1850s and an important figure in East Boston.

A neighbor who lives next-door told NBC10 Boston and NECN on Friday that despite the barn's worn-down condition, it cannot be demolished because it's registered as a landmark.

"I was sitting down in my living room and we heard a large crack, and we saw the gap between the roof and the wall even larger than it's been, so I decided to call the fire department because we don't know if it's going to collapse on our house," Domenic Tiso said. "The city has been out here almost every day looking at it...the deputy commissioner has said it's not going to collapse, and the fire department says otherwise...the city has done nothing, nothing."

Tiso said he is extremely concerned and has called the city almost every day for the past month.

NBC10 Boston has reached out to the city for comment on demolition but has not heard back.

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