Durban - Staff and customers at a Durban North pharmacy got the fright of their lives on Thursday when a car crashed through the plate glass front into the shop.
Gillian Stone, of Twilanga Retirement Village, was with a friend in her car when she lost control and they found themselves in Alpha Pharm Northlands Pharmacy, Mackeurtan Avenue.
Two employees were later admitted to hospital with injuries and for further assessment.
Netcare 911 spokesman Chris Botha said paramedics found that the two occupants of the Nissan Almeira were traumatised but had escaped uninjured. Unfortunately, two workers at the pharmacy had sustained injuries, ranging from serious to minor.
Stone was not willing on Thursday to discuss what led to the incident.
“It was a freak accident. I am fine. I am grateful to God that no one was killed. I am tired of talking about it,” she said.
Kyle van Reenen, of Crisis Medical, who was at the scene, said he spoke to Stone after the incident.
She told him she was parking outside the pharmacy and the accelerator of the car jammed and she lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle then went through the glass door of the pharmacy.
“She was treated at the scene for signs and symptoms of shock,” he said.
Pharmacist Rosemary Payne said the incident happened about 11.15am. The vehicle came through the window and diagonally across the shop. Payne said her colleagues were taken to Umhlanga Hospital for assessment, but on Thursday night she had not been updated on their condition.
She said the rest of the staff were not injured, but some were still shaky.
“The pharmacy had to close yesterday and only trade for emergencies. After the incident, the pharmacy was boarded up to make it secure. Security guards were called to look after it overnight,” she said.
Payne said they would trade on Friday, but in a limited way.
“At the moment we do not have a clue of the cost of the damage because the assessors have not arrived yet. There is a lot of damage to stock and computers.”
She said the till points were knocked down and the wall of a neighbouring shop had cracked.
The Mercury