Four people were killed and ten others were critically injured when a driver crashed into a nail salon on Long Island on Friday, according to police and law enforcement sources. The minivan barreled through the Hawaii Nail & Spa located at 794 Grand Boulevard in Deer Park shortly after 4:30 p.m., trapping patrons and staff inside, as per police reports.
Photos show that the vehicle finally came to a halt at the rear of the salon, leaving behind a trail of destruction in its wake. The crash completely shattered the glass storefront and brought down the ceiling. The driver was one of those taken to the hospital, according to police.
Horror Crash Leaves Several Dead
Dominic Albanese, the third assistant chief of the Deer Park Volunteer Fire Department, said in a news briefing that four people were declared dead at the scene. Nine others were transported to local hospitals, with one being airlifted by helicopter. Albanese mentioned that several people needed to be rescued from the wreckage.
The conditions of the injured victims remain unknown.
"It appears a motorist drove through the building, all the way through the building," Albanese said.
"There were people trapped and we extricated them and transported everyone to area hospitals," Deer Park Third Assistant Chief Dominic Albanese told Newsday. "They were trapped inside. Everybody was inside the salon."
"It's horrible. It's horrible. It can be tough for the community and tougher for the volunteer fire department, but you know we're going to get through it," Albanese added.
Horrific Scenes
The nail salon is located in a strip mall on Grand Boulevard near Commack Road, alongside a liquor store and a tattoo parlor.
Over 150 firefighters and EMS personnel responded to the scene, which the Deer Park Fire Department described as a "mass casualty event."
All four dead are believed to be inside the salon at the time of the crash. One of the injured had to be airlifted to the hospital, according to fire officials.
The van's driver is believed to be among the survivors. Records indicate that the van had never been cited for a traffic violation.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation.
