34 people injured after driver crashes into busy New Hampshire restaurant, authorities say
A driver crashed into a busy New Hampshire restaurant Sunday – injuring nearly three dozen people – after colliding with another vehicle, authorities said.
The Laconia Fire Department was dispatched to the Looney Bin Bar & Grill in Laconia at around 12:40 p.m. local time after people reported a four-door sedan inside the restaurant with several people injured, the fire department said in a news release on Facebook.
“Due to the high number of people inside the establishment when the car crashed into the building, and the unknown quantity of people injured, a [second] alarm Mass Casualty Alarm (MCI) response was requested,” the fire department said in the news release. “Laconia companies quickly began to triage those involved to identify patients with the most significant injuries.”
Responders transported about 14 people – two with significant lower leg injuries – to Laconia Hospital, Concord Hospital and Franklin Hospital. The other 12 patients had lacerations, contusions and other non-life-threatening injuries, the fire department said.
About 20 people were evaluated by first responders and did not require a visit to the hospital.
“There are no words to describe today,” the Looney Bin Bar & Grill said in a statement on Facebook Sunday. “All we know is that we are beyond grateful that everyone is going to be OK.”
Driver collided with another vehicle, which caused it to crash into the restaurant, police say
Laconia Police Department Chief Matt Canfield said a driver was pulling out of an arcade center when there was another vehicle in the center lane. When the driver made a left turn, the driver didn't see a third vehicle coming, which caused the collision and sent the third vehicle crashing into the restaurant, Canfield said in a statement on Facebook.
“There were a lot of people inside due to it being lunchtime and a holiday weekend,” Laconia Captain Chad Vaillancourt said in the news release. “The great response from our mutual aid partners allowed us to help many injured people in a short amount of time."
The Center Harbor and Meredith Fire Departments and crews from Gilford, Belmont, Meredith EMS, Tilton-Northfield and Franklin helped with treatment and transport. The crash is under investigation by the Laconia Police Department, the fire department said.
Contributing: The Associated Press
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New Hampshire car crash: 34 injured after driver goes into restaurant
