BUFFALO, N.Y. — A Buffalo restaurant reopened a day after a car crashed into it, almost hitting one of the employees.
The crash happened Saturday morning right off the I-190. 2 On Your Side has photos and videos shot that day by one of our coworkers who lives in the building at 295 Niagara Street in Buffalo.
The building is home to apartments and the restaurant Strong Hearts Buffalo.
Buffalo Police told 2 On Your Side on Monday morning that the driver survived and was taken to ECMC with non-life-threatening injuries. Police are trying to figure out if the driver had a medical emergency or if the car had some sort of mechanical failure, and police said maybe the brakes stopped working.
Strong Hearts Buffalo closed on Saturday because of the crash and reopened less than 24 hours later for brunch on Sunday. The community continued to show support on Monday with a packed lunch rush.
"It reminded me of just that first day that we opened back in July of 2022 when like everybody, including omnivores, and vegans alike were so excited that a vegan community space had developed here in Buffalo, and it was just lovely to see everybody come in and check in on the staff and asking everybody how are you doing? What was that like?" said Strong Hearts Buffalo General Manager Mackenzie April.
In a Facebook post on Sunday, the restaurant said the crash caused extensive damage to their kitchen and bakery areas. One of the restaurant's bakers was a few feet away from the crash but wasn't hurt. They said people were able to get the driver out of the car and they pushed the car away from the building before the car caught fire.
"I ran to the back and immediately there was smoke in the air. Everybody was kind of scrambling around not sure what to do. Our baking assistant, Emily, was the one who was closest to the crash and she was just kind of in shock standing there she had her phone in her hand and I could tell she was like wanting to call 911, but also couldn't move because she was just feet away from what happened, and I just remember all of us going everybody out, everybody out, everybody out," said Mackenzie April.
No charges have been filed as Buffalo Police continue their investigation.