Couple’s lucky escape after garage accident
Saved by the freezer! An elderly couple had a lucky escape after their car ploughed through the window of a petrol station’s shopfront last week.
The afternoon quiet was literally shattered last week at the Jet Service Station in North Woolwich Road as the drama unfolded.
Station Manager Vallipuram Kajen takes up the story: “I had just served an elderly gentleman customer who had filled up and paid for his petrol. He walked back to the car. Then I was serving another customer and all of a sudden the gentleman’s car came crashing through the window of our shop area.We can only guess that as he went to pull away he hit the accelorator pedal instead of the brake.”
The driver anmd his companion were stuck inside the car.
Tim Davies who was at the garage at the time and took this picture said: “The car crashed through the Jet service station window and ended up in the shop this afternoon about 3.30pm.The fire service recovered the car from the shop to release the occupants.
“The elderly couple were given some medical treatment on the scene but are not thought to be seriously hurt.....however the shop front was smashed.....but managed to stay open for business, “ said Tim, who lives nearby in Silvertown.
Silvertown Fire crews attended the scene and freed the couple from their car. An ambulance took them to hospital for treatment where they were released after treatment for cuts and bruises and shock.
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“It was an unusual call to say the least,. but a lucky escape,” said a Silvertown Fire Station watch manager.
“It was just one of those things that happen. The car involved was an automatic. It was just an unfortunate accident. We just made the premises safe and helped the elderly couple out of their vehicle.”
Mr Kajen said: “There was glass everywhere and the situation could have been a whole lot worse. The window shattered and the car was brought to a halt by our freezer.The freezer was pushed into another area where all the milk is so you can imagine the scene.”
The accident happened at 3.30pm on Monday.
The station staff cleaned up and managed to carry on serving customers through the night-time service hatch.
Thye area was boarded up and the windows replaced two days later.
The son of the driver returned 24 hours later to move the car to the edge of the forecourt and then came back later to collect the vehicle.
