Chaos erupted in an Orland Hills barbershop Sunday afternoon when a car barreled through the wall, leaving eight people injured. The Orland Fire Protection District reports that authorities arrived at the scene near 2 p.m. to find a car had blasted through the south-facing wall of the Sport Clips located at 9239 S. 159th Street inside the Orland Towne Center, CBS Chicago reports.
In a frenzied attempt to retreat, the driver slammed into numerous parked cars in the lot. Victims were scattered, with two taken to Silver Cross Hospital, one to Palos Northwestern Hospital, and another to Advocate Christ Medical Center. According to NBC Chicago, photos showed the barbershop in disarray, with shattered glass, overturned chairs and dislodged haircare paraphernalia marking the locus of an impact.
While the driver was among the eight total patients treated, the condition of those affected remains uncertain. The Orland Fire Protection District indicated that the injuries, thankfully, were not life-threatening. Four of the injured declined hospitalization, choosing to be treated at the scene.
The accident not only wreaked havoc on the Sport Clips, where the damage was significant but also affected an adjacent business unit. As evening approached, officials had yet to disclose the names of the injured or the cause of the catastrophe. The incident has triggered an investigation by the Orland Hills Police Department, which is working to unravel the circumstances leading to this harrowing event.
