Pottstown restaurant rammed; Patrons hurt

POTTSTOWN, Pa. - April 19, 2009

SLIDES: Chopper and ground pictures from the mishap
VIDEO: Nora Muchanic's report from Pottstown

The accident in Pottstown happened shortly before 6:00 p.m. at the King Buffet in the 200 block of Shoemaker Road.

Police say it's early in the investigation, but it appears that the driver of the truck may have suffered some type of seizure.

After the truck came to a stop inside the restaurant, witnesses tell Action News the wheels kept spinning and spinning until someone came in and turned off the vehicle.

Parents told Action News they were looking for their children through the smoke and broken glass in the chaos after the accident Sunday evening.

In all, officials say 14 people, including the truck driver, were hurt. Six of the injured are children and two of them had to be flown to Childrens' Hospital in Philadelphia. Three people have been flown to nearby hospitals. Others were transported by ambulance.

"We heard a loud noise, like an explosion," Jennifer Arias, a waitress, told Action News. "So I immediately ran out to see what was going on. Then I saw brick and glass all over and people screaming."

The driver of the truck told police he has a seizure disorder for which he's had surgery, according to investigators.

"We were told he had a seizure and he passed out in the vehicle," said Capt. F. Richard Drumheller of the Pottstown Police. "We'll run standard tests for everything, including blood alcohol. If he had a seizure, obviously that an issue itself related to his driving. "

The restaurant has been boarded up and is marked with a large red sign declaring that it is unsafe for occupancy.

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