(Story Developing] BOSTON – A State House evacuation on Tuesday, the second of the day, was followed by calls from rangers for people to move away from the building and to head to nearby Boston Common.
DCR rangers at about 2:20 p.m. instructed people who had left the capitol to go to Boston Common and get away from the State House.
In contrast to an evacuation Tuesday morning, rangers also ordered an archway that runs between the original building and its annex to be completely cleared.
Fire apparatus arrived at about 2:20 p.m. on the Bowdoin Street side of the building. A ranger advised people who left the building that it would be a “long time” before people were allowed back in and suggested people find a comfortable place to go.
Just before 2:30 p.m., a State Trooper said, to cheers from some on Bowdoin Street, “Folks, the building’s probably going to be closed for a few hours, possibly the rest of the day. I recommend the 21st Amendment.”
Gov. Maura Healey walked out of building at 2:23 p.m. carrying a backpack and appeared headed for her car, which was running under the arch near the corner of Mount Vernon and Hancock streets. Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll was outside as well and said she was “safe.”
On Tuesday morning, the building was briefly evacuated after two people activated an emergency alarm in the capitol, according to the building’s management office.
An alarm sounded just before 11 a.m., disrupting committee hearings and pushing lawmakers, staff and tourists out into the hazy weather. Crowds huddled on the sidewalks until they were allowed back inside after around 15 minutes.
Officials hadn’t yet ascertained why the individuals activated the alarm, the Bureau of the State House told the News Service at 11:20 a.m., and State Police are investigating.
Half of the House of Representatives’ membership was in the middle of a closed-door briefing on a gun law reforms bill and a number of lawmakers appeared to stay inside the House complex during most of the alarm.
