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February 14, 2024One person died and at least five people were injured, including two children, after a vehicle crashed into a hospital emergency room in Austin, Texas, on Tuesday, the authorities said.
The vehicle crashed into the St. David’s North Austin Medical Center at 5:38 p.m., the Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services said on social media, adding that two children and one adult were taken to the Dell Children’s Medical Center.
One child had “potentially serious injuries,” and the adult and the other child had injuries that were not life-threatening, the authorities said.
A second adult was taken to the St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center with “potentially serious injuries,” county officials said.
The driver of the car died, officials said. The crash did not appear to be intentional, the Austin Police Department said on social media.
Police were investigating the crash, Captain Christa Stedman, a spokeswoman for the Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services, said at a news conference on Tuesday night.
Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services initially reported that as many as 10 people had been injured, but officials said later that five people were injured.
Dr. Peter DeYoung, chief medical officer of St. David’s North Austin Medical Center, said at the news conference that another eight patients, who were not injured in the crash, were being taken to other hospitals to help the emergency room regroup. The hospital’s emergency room was prepared to handle walk-in patients, but it was closed to ambulances, Dr. DeYoung said.
“We are in the process of sending patients away so we can better manage,” he said.
None of the hospital’s operations were disrupted outside of the emergency department, Dr. DeYoung said, adding that the facility was in “good condition” despite damage to the building’s doors and exteriors.
Video of the aftermath posted to social media showed a chaotic scene.
The vehicle appeared to leave a trail of mangled waiting chairs inside the emergency room before it became pinned in a hall near the reception desk. The room appeared mostly cleared, but officials and hospital staff could be seen pulling what appeared to be one adult out of the wreckage.
The car’s tires could be heard screeching and its engine was still heaving as it filled the room with white smoke, its red taillights still visible.
