At least six people were hurt after a fire engine and a Mercedes crashed, sending the truck barreling into a Brooklyn storefront.
The scene unfolded shortly before midnight as the FDNY responded to a house fire at Avenue U and East 4th Street in Gravesend. That's where the fire truck collided with the car and then crashed into Coquette Kids, a children’s clothing and toy store.
The impact from the crash took out most of the store’s front wall. The store is now out of commission just days before Christmas.
“With all that’s going on now with corona, closing, opening, and now you have a couple days you’re open and you’re happy - then boom, this happens,“ said David Levy, a friend of the store owner.
Part of a wall in Joe Minuto’s shop, Creative Trophies, was also damaged. Minuto has owned the business for almost 60 years. He too is now closed until the the building is structurally safe again .
“Could have been worse that’s how you look at it. This could all be fixed," said Minuto.
The FDNY rescued several tenants in the apartments on the second floor above the businesses.
“I heard a loud noise and all the sudden my bed is shaking,” said Sandra Palma.
She was in bed sleeping when the commotion woke her up. Palma is dealing with this traumatic experience after her boss recently died from COVID -19.
“And now this. It’s very sad. Really sad. We shouldn't be living like this."
Four tenants are homeless because of the crash. The American Red Cross is now helping them. Five firefighters and the driver of the car suffered minor injuries.
“Everybody wants to put 2020 away," said Minuto.