Birstall Market Place has been closed off and properties evacuated after an elderly driver smashed his Skoda car into the front of Cobbles Cafe.
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| Fire Crews with gas officials at the scene in Chapel Lane Birstall |
The 88-year-old male driver has been taken to hospital following the accident, which happened at around 11am today (12/03/2013).
A witness said it appeared as if he was trying to park outside the cafe when he appeared to lose control.
Roads into the village centre are closed and nearby shops and businesses evacuated as the crash damaged an external gas main on the site.
Emergency services are at the scene and carrying out checks to ensure the gas supply has been isolated. Once this is complete the vehicle can then be removed from the shop front
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| Chapel Lane looking from the top of Smithies Lane |
PC David Robson said the driver had been taken to hospital to be checked over.
Cafe owner David Krolak said: “I’m in complete shock", I had my back to the window and heard a huge bang. “You could smell the gas right away and so we got the customers out the back door and away.”
Fire crews from Batley and Cleckheaton attended along with a supervisory officer as well as the Ambulance and Police.
The incident caused tailbacks along the A62 (Gelderd Road).
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| Crews stand by for safety reasons |
Anyone with any information or who may have witnessed the collision or the vehicle prior to the collision is asked to call PC 2069 Robson (West Yorkshire Police Southern area Roads Policing Unit) by calling 101 from any telephone.
