An elderly man and gym-goer has died while others were injured after a woman crashed her car into a Planet Fitness gym, according to WABC. This deadly accident happened in Elizabeth, New Jersey, on Tuesday, August 26.
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Car Crashes Into Planet Fitness, Killing One Elderly Gym Member And Injuring Others
Around 12:20 PM local time, a 69-year-old woman drove her SUV into a Planet Fitness at 647 Newark Avenue. She hit an unidentified 72-year-old man who was near the front window she drove through.
Furthermore, a 59-year-old man on a treadmill suffered cuts and abrasions. The female driver also suffered from injuries connected to her airbag deploying.
Currently, we don’t know how the accident happened or what led to the crash. The good news is that police claim everyone involved has been cooperating with the investigation.
According to Elizabeth’s buildings department, the Planet Fitness gym suffered enough damage to close the building until further notice.
In response to the sudden tragedy, Planet Fitness issued its own statement. “At Planet Fitness, the safety of our employees, members, and guests is a top priority, and we are extremely saddened by this tragic accident and loss of life,” it said.
“Our thoughts are with the member’s family and those impacted during this difficult time, and we are grateful to the first responders who provided immediate assistance.”
Witnesses React To Accident
CBS News spoke with gym-goers who witnessed the frightening crash. Richard Whitfield recalled how the crash area held a free weight section, treadmills, and a table with chairs.
“It’s terrible. It’s terrible. That’s bad,” said Whitfield. “My blessings go out to the victims and the driver. I don’t know what happened. Before I leave, I drink Muscle Milk and I will sit right there on the ledge where the windows at. Yeah, I was thinking about that, man.”
Another gym member who wanted to remain anonymous was also stunned. “Kind of like shocking to me because I always work out over there,” he said. “I’m extremely upset that that happened.”
Some gym members also noted that if the crash had happened at a different time, when the gym was busier, there could’ve been more fatalities.
“It’s crazy ’cause you got the young kids that come past there, too, that come from school and they’re working out too,” said gym-goer Frank McClain. “So it could have been a lot more serious than it was.”