Woman Crushed by Concrete in Boston Tunnel

Firefighters inspect a section of ceiling in the Interstate 90 connector tunnel eastbound through Boston that collapsed onto the roadway and killed a woman passenger in a car. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer) (Michael Dwyer - AP)

BOSTON -- Authorities were inspecting large stretches of the city's Big Dig tunnel system Tuesday after 12 tons of concrete ceiling panels crushed a car carrying newlyweds through a connector tunnel, killing the woman as the couple headed to Logan Airport.

"I don't think anyone can feel the tunnels are safe, given what happened this morning," Gov. Mitt Romney told a New England Cable News reporter after touring the accident site, under an industrial area of South Boston.

The driver of the crushed car managed to crawl through a window to safety, but his wife was killed when four of the massive concrete ceiling panels hit the vehicle late Monday.

The shutdown of the Interstate 90 connector tunnel backed up traffic for miles during the Tuesday morning commute. Authorities hoped to reopen it Wednesday, but were still removing about 30 ceiling slabs from the accident site and checking at least 17 other areas with similar "tiebacks" holding ceiling panels in place.

Massachusetts Turnpike Authority Chairman Matthew Amorello said a steel "tieback" that had held a 40-foot section of ceiling over eastbound Interstate 90 gave way, letting the concrete slabs loose as the car drove beneath them.

"There was a snapping sound heard," Amorello said. "One of the tile panels from the roof released. It caused a series of panels to be released."

The accident was near the entrance to the Ted Williams Tunnel, which runs under Boston Harbor to Logan International Airport. Amorello said he had ordered a precautionary inspection of that tunnel as well because it has similar tiebacks, though a different ceiling structure.

Amorello said similar tiebacks were also used in 17 spots on the Interstate 90 section of the Big Dig project, and all of those also were being checked.

"We feel awful about what happened last night," Amorello said. "It's an awful, awful tragedy. ... This is an awful situation that occurred."

He appointed a state police major, two outside consultants and a team from the Federal Highway Administration to assist in the investigation.

Boston Mayor Tom Menino demanded quick answers.

"We don't need a six-month study. We need an immediate reaction and action by the different authorities so that we can reassure the public as they drive into the city or drive over to the airport that the tunnel is safe to go through," he said.