'Surprised that no one died': Truck crashes into Calgary restaurant
Several people were hurt, but Calgary police say an incident where a truck drove through a restaurant window will not lead to charges being laid.
Emergency crews were called to the area of 31 Street and 34 Avenue S.E. at approximately 10:15 p.m. for reports of a crash.
On arrival, they found a truck had driven through the front window of Sammy's Chophouse and landed fully inside the business.
Courtney Daly was sitting inside when the truck smashed into the restaurant.
"I looked up and saw a black truck flying towards the window. I told my friends to 'look out' and then it was on top us – it came through the window."
She calls it "the most terrifying experience" she has ever had in her life.
Daly adds the pub was busy at the time the crash occurred.
"I'm surprised that no one died."
"I just heard smashing glass and then I couldn't breathe," said Catherine Dawson, who says she was the first person hit.
"I was on my hands and knees crawling – I guess I was crawling from underneath the vehicle and I could not breathe.
"I didn't know what was wrong with me – I looked over at my friend and she was injured. I looked over at my other friend and her head was hanging in a booth and I didn't know if she was okay or not."
EMS told CTV News that four people were taken to hospital in connection with the incident and several people were assessed at the scene.
The victims include:
- An adult female in stable, non-life-threatening condition taken to Foothills Medical Centre;
- An adult female in serious but stable condition taken to Foothills Medical Centre;
- An elderly male in stable, non-life-threatening condition taken to Peter Lougheed Centre; and
- An adult female in stable, non-life-threatening condition taken to South Health Campus.
The incident could have been much worse, officials said on Sunday.
"Anytime a vehicle enters a building and actually breached the structure of a building, we have the potential for a number of serious injuries and so, we work with our allied agencies like the Calgary Fire Department to make sure that the building is safe and secure before we can even enter that building," said Helene Hamilton, acting public education officer with EMS.
Calgary police say the driver of the truck, a 76-year-old man, had crashed into the restaurant at "a high rate of speed."
Alcohol is not believed to have been a factor in the collision, police say.
The matter is under investigation but it's not believed the incident is criminal in nature.
"Anyone with information, or who has dashcam footage from the area, is asked to contact police by calling 403-266-1234."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.
What a urologist wants you to know about male infertility
When opposite sex couples are trying and failing to get pregnant, the attention often focuses on the woman. That’s not always the case.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Made-in-Newfoundland vodka claims top prize at worldwide competition
A Newfoundland-made vodka has been named one of the world’s best by judges at this year’s World Vodka Awards.