Car Crashes Into Delaware County YMCA
By Matt Rivers
RIDLEY TOWNSHIP, Pa., (CBS) -- A car crashed into a YMCA in Delaware County Friday afternoon.
During a typically busy day at the Ridley Area YMCA, an 86-year-old woman had gotten into a car just after her workout. When she went to leave, things went wrong.
"We had one of our members drive through the wall of our pool, we're not sure if it was a car malfunction or she hit the accelerator instead of the brake," said Michael Rank, CEO of Community YMCA Of Eastern Delaware County.
Police clarified soon thereafter, saying the woman's foot slipped off the brake and hit the gas, accelerating rapidly. She went fast enough to break through an 8-inch wall, the car stopping just short of plunging into the pool. There were a few swimmers in the pool doing laps, none however in the lane closest to the broken wall.
"Absolutely we are blessed that there were no injuries. It was during a lap swim time but no one was swimming in the lane affected," said Rank.
Emergency crews arrived soon after, and towed the car out of the building, and a police officer brought the 86-year-old woman home, a bit shaken, but uninjured.
She has insurance and it appears no charges will be filed. One YMCA official did say that on a typical day, there is usually someone swimming in the lane closest to that wall. Today, however, no one was there.
YMCA officials tell Eyewitness News that pool will be closed for some time until repairs can be made. The rest of the YMCA will remain open.
