MarkCermak
RIP
- Joined
- Oct 7, 2006
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Carpet cleaning van crashes into Fairhaven café
BELLINGHAM - A 60-year-old man suffered a minor injury to his knee when a carpet cleaning van crashed into the Harris Avenue Café in Fairhaven on Saturday, June 26.
The van, which belonged to Swan's Clean Care and Restoration, was left unoccupied and running in a parking space outside the café, located at 1101 Harris Ave., at about 8:15 a.m., said Bellingham Police Sgt. Mike Johnston.
The employee was working a cleaning job upstairs from the café, and the van was left on to operate the carpet cleaning equipment, Johnston said.
Van crash
When the employee activated the equipment, it caused the van's engine to rev. The van, which the employee thought he had left in park but was actually in drive, jumped the curb and crashed into the building, Johnston said.
Two people were sitting inside the café next to the front window when the van came crashing through. A 60-year-old man jumped to the floor to avoid being hit and suffered a minor injury to his knee that did not require hospitalization, Johnston said. The second person ran outside, put the van into park and turned off its engine, he said.
The crash caused several thousand dollars worth of damage to the building, Johnston said. He did not know if the van's emergency brake was on. The van sustained about $2,000 damage.
The café remained open for business Saturday despite the crash. Employees moved customers to a different side of the dining room, and the building's landlord put up plywood in the damaged area almost immediately, said Adrian Simmons, the café's general manager.
One of two broken windows was replaced Saturday. It was the second time the window had been repaired in three weeks; it was previously punched out by an intoxicated man during Ski to Sea celebrations, Simmons said.
The second window is still in need of repairs. About $1,500 has been spent on repairs so far, Simmons said.
Police have not cited Swan's or the employee at this point, Johnston said.
Swan's did not return a call for comment Monday.
BELLINGHAM - A 60-year-old man suffered a minor injury to his knee when a carpet cleaning van crashed into the Harris Avenue Café in Fairhaven on Saturday, June 26.
The van, which belonged to Swan's Clean Care and Restoration, was left unoccupied and running in a parking space outside the café, located at 1101 Harris Ave., at about 8:15 a.m., said Bellingham Police Sgt. Mike Johnston.
The employee was working a cleaning job upstairs from the café, and the van was left on to operate the carpet cleaning equipment, Johnston said.
Van crash
When the employee activated the equipment, it caused the van's engine to rev. The van, which the employee thought he had left in park but was actually in drive, jumped the curb and crashed into the building, Johnston said.
Two people were sitting inside the café next to the front window when the van came crashing through. A 60-year-old man jumped to the floor to avoid being hit and suffered a minor injury to his knee that did not require hospitalization, Johnston said. The second person ran outside, put the van into park and turned off its engine, he said.
The crash caused several thousand dollars worth of damage to the building, Johnston said. He did not know if the van's emergency brake was on. The van sustained about $2,000 damage.
The café remained open for business Saturday despite the crash. Employees moved customers to a different side of the dining room, and the building's landlord put up plywood in the damaged area almost immediately, said Adrian Simmons, the café's general manager.
One of two broken windows was replaced Saturday. It was the second time the window had been repaired in three weeks; it was previously punched out by an intoxicated man during Ski to Sea celebrations, Simmons said.
The second window is still in need of repairs. About $1,500 has been spent on repairs so far, Simmons said.
Police have not cited Swan's or the employee at this point, Johnston said.
Swan's did not return a call for comment Monday.
