Two Boston College students were hospitalized after falling approximately 15 feet when a poorly maintained deck railing failed during a social gathering in an off-campus house on Undine Road.
“At about 5:43 PM, on Friday, March 13, 2026, Boston EMS, Boston Fire, and officers from D-14 responded to 64 Undine Road in Boston for a report of two individuals who fell approximately 15 feet after a deck railing gave way,” a spokesperson from the Boston Police Department (BPD) told The Heights.
BPD’s inspection of the deck revealed that the area was in poor condition, with paint concealing the extent of the deterioration.
“While examining the area, the Officer observed that the railing and portions of the second egress appeared to be in poor condition,” the police report said. “The nails securing the railing to the deck structure were noticeably short and heavily corroded. Additionally, the wood appeared to be deteriorated and rotten in several areas, although it had been covered with paint, which may have concealed the extent of the damage.”
Several BC students were present at the house for a previously scheduled social gathering where alcohol was present, and an officer “noted a strong odor of marijuana,” according to the police report.
The victims, two sophomore males, were conversing on the deck and leaning against a portion of a railing about 6 to 8 feet in length when it suddenly gave way, causing them to fall from the elevated surface onto the driveway below.
“Witnesses stated that both victims struck the pavement with significant force, landing on their backs and the back portions of their heads,” the police report read.
The two students sustained injuries to their heads, necks, and backs, according to the report.
“As a result of the fall, [the first victim] sustained an injury to the back of the head and was observed bleeding a small amount,” police said. “[Another victim] reported significant pain in his back and neck area following the fall.”
The names of the two students were redacted in the police report.
Emergency responders determined that there was no structural collapse of the building, but that the Boston Inspectional Services Department (ISD) will conduct a building inspection at a later time.
According to police, an initial report indicated that the entire deck attached to the house collapsed, prompting a significant emergency response. A later review dispelled the erroneous assessment.
Police did not provide an estimate on the timeline of an ISD report.
“It really depends on the totality of the circumstances,” BPD said.
The incident remains under investigation.
The students’ conditions are currently unknown. The home’s student residents did not respond to a request for comment.
In 2014, a Boston Globe investigation uncovered overcrowding and unsuitable conditions in many off-campus homes in the city that housed undergraduate students, including BC students. The following year, Boston inspected all overcrowded off-campus undergraduate residences.
Since then, the city implemented policies to improve safety. In 2025, the Boston city council increased its oversight of off-campus housing and strengthened data collection to hold institutions accountable for students’ living conditions.
