GARDEN CITY, Idaho — A vehicle collision with an apartment building in Garden City has displaced over a dozen people and left the driver with life-threatening injuries.
The call came in right before noon on Monday. Garden City police responded to a report of a vehicle crashing into this apartment building on the corner of Chinden and Garrett.
Aaron Hummel, Boise fire’s Division Chief of Operations, said, “The vehicle then subsequently caught on fire, which ignited the downstairs apartment.”
I spoke to the neighbors who were home when the vehicle crashed into their apartment. They say their entire apartment was full of smoke so thick that they couldn’t even see.
Another video taken by a resident who lives on the top floor shows half of the building engulfed in smoke, with flames coming out of the bottom of the apartment complex.
Hummel, said “It was localized to the ground floor, with the entire backside of the apartment affected. About 16 residents have been displaced from the building.”
Firefighters were able to rescue the driver, who is now suffering from critical, life-threatening injuries. A few residents were checked for smoke inhalation but were released without being transported to the hospital.
Now, firefighters hope to clear one half of the building for livable space while also testing the air for carbon monoxide or cyanide. They say they aren't concerned about the structural stability of the building and are working to figure out how the vehicle caught fire.
“Our condolences go out to the families affected. Obviously, we don't like seeing anything like this happen, but this is what we train for, to try to protect our public,” said Hummel.
As for the people who live in this building, I’ve spoken with many of them. Some tell me they’re spending the night with family, while others are heading to a hotel.
This is a developing story. Idaho News 6 will continue to update this story as more information becomes available.
