The driver of a red SUV drove through the window of Kuku’s Restaurant on Burnside Road West in Saanich on Wednesday morning, causing extensive damage to the building.
Saanich Fire is responding to an incident at Burnside Road West and Harriet Road. One fire truck is blocking traffic on Harriet and police are directing traffic on Burnside. @saanichnews #yyjtraffic (ping @yrlocaljourno) pic.twitter.com/f4NIMGUQFd
— Devon Bidal (@devonscarlett) December 4, 2019
Saanich Fire confirmed that the driver of a red SUV drove through the window of the small takeaway Indian restaurant. Police currently suspect the driver had a medical issue while driving at around 8:40 a.m.
The driver continued to drive for approximately 80 metres before coming to a stop in the 7-11 parking lot, next to the restaurant. She was taken to hospital with minor injuries, police said. No one else was hurt in the incident.
Randy Madhar owns Kuku’s and was in the shower when he got a call about the crash. He raced over to the restaurant right away. A staff member was scheduled to start work around the time of the crash, but luckily she hadn’t gone inside yet, Madhar said.
No one was walking past on the street and the restaurant was empty at the time. However Madhar felt that based on the layout of the restaurant if someone had been insider, they’d have been gravely injured.
Both northbound lanes of traffic on Burnside Road West were blocked by emergency vehicles, at the intersection with Harriet Road. Staff from the District of Saanich arrived just before 11 a.m. to assess the structural damage done to the building.
Police said they expect the road to remain blocked until just before noon Wednesday.
