Car crashes into Warwick restaurant forcing closure; gas line ruptured
by ERIN COOGAN, NBC 10 NEWS
WARWICK, R.I. (WJAR) — Anxious moments Saturday afternoon as a car crashed into several other vehicles – pushing them into the back of a restaurant -before coming to rest. In the process, a gas line was ruptured.
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The Warwick Police Department responded around 2:40 p.m. to Sam’s Inn on 2227 West Shore Road for the reported accident.
Investigators say a 2013 Lexus driven by a 24-year-old woman struck an occupied vehicle in front of the Shell gas station on West Shore Road. The Lexus then struck an unoccupied vehicle in the parking lot of the gas station but continued into the parking lot of Sam’s Inn.
In that parking lot, police say the Lexus then hit two unoccupied vehicles before colliding with the refrigeration unit of Sam’s Inn.
Both drivers did not report significant injuries, however, the 24-year-old driver of the Lexus was transported to Kent County Memorial Hospital as a precaution.
Crews from Rhode Island Energy had tocut open a large section of Yates Road to repair a ruptured gas line involved in the crash.
All employees and patronswithin the restaurant were evacuated and Sam’s Inn remains closed.
Eyewitnesses pointed out that restaurant patrons often come out to smoke on nice days like today, one telling NBC 10,”Everybody is so lucky that nobody died here today.”
Traffic is moving as normal on West Shore Road, and the Shell gas station remains in full operation.
No charges have been filed.