A car plowed into a restaurant in the heart of Gangnam on Friday, injuring five people. A building manager in his 70s was reversing the vehicle to handle parking when he crashed straight through the shop's glass wall. The impact shattered an entire glass panel, forcing the business to suspend operations.
According to police and fire department authorities, a sedan reversed into a commercial building near Nonhyeon Station in Seocho-gu, Seoul, at around 1:50 p.m. Friday, driving all the way into the restaurant's interior. A woman in her 30s suffered a fractured leg, while four others sustained minor injuries and are receiving treatment.
About two hours later, the scene was a wreck. The glass wall the car had struck lay completely shattered, leaving the restaurant's interior fully exposed. Glass shards were still scattered inside, crunching underfoot with every step near the entrance. The marble flooring in front of the shop had also cracked under the force of the impact.
Though it was the middle of the lunch rush, a notice posted at the entrance directed customers to the chain's Sinnonhyeon and Hakdong Station locations.
The collision was loud enough to be heard throughout the surrounding area. A staff member at a clinic on the second floor of the building said she heard a loud thud while at work.
Glass fragments were also strewn across the road in front of Exit 4 of Nonhyeon Station, where the car was towed after the accident. Shards remained on top of the vehicle as well, and smaller pieces persisted on the ground even after cleaning crews made several passes.
Police believe the driver, identified only as a man in his 70s, was a parking attendant for the building who was moving a customer's car when the accident occurred.
On-site testing found that the driver had not been under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Police are investigating the exact cause of the accident.
shy@heraldcorp.com
