Four people were killed and nine injured after a driver crashed into a nail salon on Long Island on Friday, police and law enforcement sources said.
Just after 4:30 p.m., a minivan crashed into the storefront of Hawaii Nail & Spa at 794 Grand Boulevard in Deer Park, trapping customers and employees inside, according to police and reports.
Pictures show the vehicle coming to a stop at the back of the salon, leaving a trail of destruction behind.
The impact shattered all of the store’s glass and blew the ceiling off.
“There were people that were trapped, so we extricated them and transported everyone to area hospitals,” Deer Park 3rd Deputy Chief Dominic Albanese said. He told Newsday. “They were trapped inside. They were all inside the salon.”
“It’s a terrible situation. It’s a really terrible situation. It’s tough on the community, it’s tough on the volunteer fire department, but I know we will get through this,” Albanese added.
The nail salon is located on Grand Boulevard near Commack Road in a strip mall that also houses a liquor store and tattoo shops.
More than 150 firefighters and paramedics responded to what the Deer Park Fire Department called a “mass casualty incident.”
Four people were pronounced dead at the scene, all of whom were believed to have been inside the salon, fire officials said.
Nine other people were seriously injured and taken to nearby hospitals, including one person who was flown there by helicopter, fire officials said.
The driver of the van is believed to be one of the survivors.
Records show the van had never committed a traffic violation.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation.
This is an ongoing story, please check back for future updates.
