WASHINGTON, Pa. -- Five people were flown to Pittsburgh hospitals after the SUV they were in crashed into the old Coca-Cola plant in Washington early Friday morning.
City police told Channel 4 Action News that the SUV was traveling eastbound on Jefferson Avenue when it turned onto West Maiden Street, lost control and hopped the curb, crashing into the old plant at about 3 a.m.
"There was five people in the vehicle. All five people were trapped. They were extricated out of the building. It probably took over an hour to get everyone out," Washington Fire Chief Linn Brookman said.
Brookman told WTAE Channel 4 Action News reporter Ari Hait that the victims were lucky, because if the wreck had been 8 to 10 inches more to the side, their vehicle would have slammed head-on into a concrete wall and at least one of them would have likely died.
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See Ari Hait's Report From The Crash SceneWhen emergency crews first arrived, the vehicle was halfway inside the building. Some responders had to crawl through the back hatch to get to the victims, but it wasn't enough, so firefighters had to find another way in.
"We also had to breach a wall on the inside -- a concrete block wall -- take about a five-foot section of that out so we can get in there and actually get to the front of the vehicle," Brookman said.
The victims ranged in age from 21 to 35 and were flown to Pittsburgh hospitals with injuries including broken arms and legs and at least one neck injury. All five are expected to recover.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation. No charges have been filed.
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