WATCH: Video shows moment concrete falls from Prudential Tunnel during afternoon commute

BOSTON — Traffic was snarled in the Prudential Tunnel Friday afternoon after a large chunk of concrete fell from the roof of the busy tunnel.

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation alerted drivers that the two left lanes on I-90 West inside the tunnel were closed shortly after 3:30 p.m.

Video from inside the tunnel released by MassDOT captured the moment the concrete tumbled from the ceiling. A couple of cars appear to drive over the debris in the roadway as they slam on the brakes.

Concrete falls in Prudential Center

MassDOT is currently conducting emergency inspections in the tunnel to identify and remove any additional loose material. The tunnel will undergo further inspections Friday night, MassDOT says.

In a press conference shortly before 5:00 p.m., MassDOT Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver said no one was injured by the falling concrete.

Gulliver also detailed that every tunnel throughout Boston will be inspected to check for any similarly loose pieces of concrete.

MassDOT said the portion on the tunnel where the concrete fell is one of the older portions of the tunnel - dating back to the 50s. But MassDOT told Boston 25 News that “recent freeze/thaw cycles caused the concrete to become saturated, freeze, and then delaminate as temperatures rose today.”

“Our infrastructure is safe do things happen sure they happen just like potholes happen this is actually the exact same weather action that causes potholes that causes things like this it’s a very very rare occurrence that we have a failure in a joint overhead,” Gulliver detailed.

Boston’s tunnels are scheduled to be inspected every three years or so. Gulliver explained that the Prudential Tunnel was being inspected at the time but crews hadn’t reached the section where the concrete fell.

A photo shared with Boston 25 News showed officers inspecting the ceiling of the tunnel where the concrete fell.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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