BOSTON -- Eleven diners at a new South Boston restaurant were injured Saturday night when heavy wood panels fell on them. Eight people were taken to a nearby hospital with minor injuries, a Boston Fire Department spokesman said.

WATCH: Wood Panels Crash Down, 11 In Restaurant Hurt

The wood panels had been suspended from the ceiling of the bar at Franklin Southie on Dorchester Avenue.

The decorative panels were 10 feet by 10 feet, spokesman Steve MacDonald said. The cause of the collapse is under investigation.

Initially, firefighters feared some of the patrons had been trapped and dispatched a rescue team. Those injured complained of head, neck and shoulder injuries.

The restaurant had only been open a few weeks. A city inspector will determine the safety of the building.