4WD drove 20 metres before crashing into parked car which went through glass doors
The driver of a vehicle which travelled more than 20 metres before crashing into a parked car, forcing it through the glass doors of a busy medical centre will assist police with their investigations – as officers work to find out what happened.
Tasmania
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The driver of a car which travelled more than 20 metres before crashing into a parked car and forcing it through the glass doors of a busy medical centre will assist police with their investigations.
A woman had to be painstakingly extracted from underneath a vehicle after the crash at Kingborough Medical Centre, which happened at about 1.40pm on Tuesday.
She was taken to hospital in a stable condition where she will undergo further observation.
Police and emergency services personnel including Ambulance Tasmania and Tasmania Fire Service crews swarmed the area and found a small blue hatchback inside the waiting room of the medical centre, with shattered glass sprayed across the floor and the doors completely smashed.
Speaking to media after the event, Tasmania Police Inspector Colin Riley said a silver 4WD had travelled through the car park before crashing “quite heavily” with the parked blue hatchback.
A black Mazda, which was parked outside the centre, was also impacted by the crash and was seen pushed up partially on to the kerb.
“When police attended there were quite a number of patients inside the practice at the time,” Inspector Riley said.
“For an area heavily trafficked by pedestrians, we were very fortunate to have only one injured person.”
Police will now conduct “very detailed” examinations of the vehicle in order to find the cause of what actually happened.
“Obviously this matter will be investigated by crash investigation services, but the initial vehicle [silver 4wd] has travelled some distance – up to 20 metres or so – before it hit the parked car,” Inspector Riley said.
“So as you can imagine, there was a fair bit of speed to cause the parked vehicle to penetrate into the building.
“At this stage it is too early to determine [a cause] but it is fair to say the driver will be spoken to as part of [police] investigations, and is speaking to police.”
He said the driver, as well as all involved, had been “shaken up”.
“It is a highly unusual thing, and significant damage [was done] to the building, that just happened out of nowhere,” he said.
“The positive thing is that this was a medical centre involved … there were people who could help injured parties.”
Members of the public, including staff at nearby businesses, helped emergency services as they worked by giving out bottles of water.
People on social media praised the efforts of those who came to help describing Kingborough Medical staff as “amazing”.
The next steps police will take involve an engineer quantifying the level of damage.
Once that is done, the vehicles will be removed and the building will be boarded up in order for repairs to be completed.
Inspector Riley said given the number of elderly patrons in the area, they were “lucky” only one person was injured during the “confronting” situation.
“ … The amount of injuries could have been a lot worse,” he said.
Update, 2.50pm: One person has been injured after multiple cars crashed into a medical centre south of Hobart.
About 10 Tasmania Police officers are on the scene at Kingborough Medical Centre at John St, Kingston.
Tasmania Police report that a car has crashed into the front of the centre.
Images from the scene show a car, silver or blue in colour, that has gone through the front glass doors of the centre.
The vehicle came to a rest inside the building.
One person has been injured, with police saying the severity of injuries is not yet known.
“Motorists and pedestrians are asked to avoid the area until the scene is cleared,” a police spokesperson said.
A silver 4wd and a black Mazda sedan have also been involved in the crash.
Tasmania Fire Service crews also remain on the scene, however Ambulance Tasmania vehicles have been and gone.
The Mercury understands the seriously injured woman became trapped under one of the vehicles.
It is believed the Kingborough Medical Centre will be closed for a number of days while repairs are conducted.
Tasmania Police will address the media soon.
More to come.
Initial: Police are on the scene of a serious crash after a car crashed into a medical centre south of Hobart.
The vehicle has reportedly crashed into the front of the Kingborough Medical Centre at John St, at Kingston.
Tasmania Police say a number of people have been injured.
Details on the level of injuries are unknown.
“Motorists and pedestrians are asked to avoid the area until the scene is cleared,” a Tasmania Police spokesperson said.
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