At Least 5 Injured After Vehicle Crashes Cafe La Maude's Outdoor Dining Area In Northern Liberties
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Several people are injured after a car crashed into an outdoor dining area in Northern Liberties. It happened around 10:45 a.m. Wednesday into the outdoor area of Cafe La Maude on the 800 block of North 4th Street.
"Imagine just eating and then a car comes up," Natasha Houston Hurst said.
For Houston Hurst, the unimaginable did happen on Wednesday.
"When I walked up, I seen it was like the first cabin, everything was knocked down," she said. "I feel bad because that's somewhere I go to on a regular basis."
Witnesses say two cars appeared to be trying to pass each other along the 800 block of North 4th Street, leading to one of the vehicles slamming into an outdoor dining structure at Cafe La Maude in Northern Liberties.
"Most of the time people go slow around these things," Cafe La Maude's owner Gabi Richan said. "Something happened there, I don't know if it was road rage. I can't say that because I didn't see it."
"I came outside, people were at that stage getting to their feet," Des Flahive of Northern Liberties said. "There was a couple of people who were still in the structure getting out."
At least five people were taken to the hospital with what's been described as minor injuries.
Cafe La Maude's owner is grateful the scene wasn't much worse.
"We're very blessed and lucky nobody got seriously hurt," Richan said. "There was no serious injury, thank God. We're just going to go on and rebuild and see what happens."
The rebuilding process got underway soon after the accident, other diners undeterred by the jarring crash, continuing to eat just steps away from the debris.
"It's going to make me think twice, but I don't want to think life like that," Houston Hurst said. "I want to enjoy my life."
The structure is in the process of being rebuilt and is nearly finished.
