As a massive winter storm brought heavy snow, strong winds, and potentially historic flooding to Massachusetts Thursday, forecasters and firefighters alike helped people stuck in floodwaters, and, on Thursday evening in East Boston, residents jumped into action when an MBTA bus got stuck on their street around 6 p.m.

Karen Clauson captured the moment her neighbors got the bus moving down Meridian Street.

Clauson said most of the people pushing the bus were her neighbors who were shoveling their sidewalks when the 117 bus, heading toward Maverick Station, lost traction in the snow and slid to the wrong side of the street. With traffic backing up behind the stuck vehicle, she said her neighbors worked with MBTA officials and police officers to shovel out snow around the bus tires and push it free.


“It took about 45 minutes to get the bus to move as seen in the video, it then got stuck on the opposite side of the street and people worked again to assist it in digging out,” Clauson told Boston.com in an email. “It didn’t take as long because they knew what had to be done.”

“We greatly appreciate their hands-on support of public transportation,” MBTA General Manager Luis Ramirez said in a statement.

While she said she’s never seen a bus get stuck like that before, Clauson, who’s lived on Meridian Street for 38 years, said she wasn’t surprised by her neighbors’ actions.

“I have seen neighbors jump in to help repeatedly during my life in East Boston,” she said. “Whether it is a car accident victim that needs help until first responders arrive, a place to get out of the cold in a fire, [rallying] to get resources for people in need when something happens in our community. When it matters East Boston residents step up and exhibit empathy and compassion. Which is why I’m proud to be an Eastie resident!”