A serious incident occurred in Campsie, Sydney, when a car crashed into the Hera Hair salon around 2pm, resulting in a fire. The vehicle, a Nissan hatchback, ran through an intersection and became lodged in the back of the salon before igniting, leading to thick smoke billowing onto the street. Witnesses reported hearing a loud bang and smelling smoke before seeing the chaos unfold.
Emergency services responded promptly; three people were transported to the hospital. The driver, a man in his 40s, was rescued by two plain-clothes police officers. He was disoriented but in stable condition at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. Additionally, two female staff members in their 40s suffered minor injuries and were also admitted for treatment.
Dominic Wong from NSW Ambulance expressed relief that the situation did not result in more severe injuries, noting it was fortunate that there were not more customers present at the time. Firefighters worked diligently to put out the blaze; approximately 30 personnel were involved in extinguishing the fire and subsequently removing the car from the wreckage.
The owner of Hera Hair salon, a long-standing establishment in the area for 15 years, expressed gratitude that the situation wasn’t worse. However, her daughter highlighted the devastating impact this event has on the already struggling business. The cause of the driver losing control remains under investigation, with reports suggesting he had initially been stationary prior to accelerating into the salon. Fire & Rescue NSW inspector Ryan Shannon noted the unclear circumstances surrounding the driver’s sudden acceleration.
As inquiries continue, the local community is left shaken by the incident.