This post was updated Feb. 5 at 3:13 p.m.
A car crashed into the 99 Ranch Market on Westwood Boulevard on Thursday, killing three people and injuring at least six.
Two blocks of Westwood Boulevard – from Wilkins Avenue to Wellworth Avenue – were completely blocked off as of 1:50 p.m., along with the intersecting block of Rochester Avenue. At least seven ambulances, four fire engines and one fire truck were also on scene, alongside several LAPD officers.
Two of the injured people were in critical condition as of 2:40 p.m. and two others sustained minor injuries, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Two people declined medical treatment, per LAFD.
LAFD believes the crash was non-intentional, LAFD Captain Erik Scott said.
“This does not seem to be of any ill intent,” Scott said at a press conference outside of the building. “Rather, it’s being investigated so far as an accidental traffic collision.”
Firefighters and police officers escorted multiple people out of the building and down the street around 1:20 p.m. A large crowd of bystanders gathered behind police tape on the opposite side of Westwood Boulevard.
Traffic officers from the Los Angeles Department of Transportation redirected southbound vehicles toward Midvale Avenue.
Kien Tran – who was across the street when the car crashed – said he heard a loud noise and saw that the door of the grocery store was broken. Smoke erupted throughout the store, Tran added, and the driver was stuck in their car.
Tran, who owns KT Salon, located directly across the street from 99 Ranch, said he ran across the street with a fire extinguisher to help.
“It was total chaos,” Tran said. “It was a mess – smoke everywhere.”
An LAFD spokesperson said they do not believe the driver was one of the deceased and added that they could not confirm if they were injured.
Scott said in the press conference that he believes the structure of the 99 Ranch Market building was not greatly compromised by the car crash.
This is a breaking story and will be updated when more information is available.
