An early morning crash in downtown Fort Lauderdale yesterday involved a train and multiple vehicles. One woman was hospitalized after being struck by a car that was pushed by the train collision into the front of a local bar. The incident occurred near the intersection of Second Avenue and Second Street, where three vehicles found themselves in the path of a train at approximately 3:30 a.m.
As the train approached, it hit the back of a pickup truck, while two other vehicles collided with each other in an attempt to escape the tracks, Local 10 News reported. A car was sent onto the sidewalk by the train's force, crashing into a woman near The Den Sports Bar and Lounge’s entrance. The woman's condition has not yet been disclosed, though authorities confirmed her hospitalization at Broward Health Medical Center.
According to witness Dorrien Francois's interview with Local 10 News, the scenario was shocking to onlookers and passerby. "I ain't gonna lie I was scared cause I could've been the one standing on the side of that corner, I could've been the lady who got hit by the car," Francois said. The crash transpired amidst a bustling downtown scene, with businesses, including the Boozy Bites food cart, experiencing heavy patronage at the time of the incident.
Fort Lauderdale Police and Fire Rescue units responded to the scene, which not only involved the injured pedestrian but also significant damage to The Den. The popular bar's front entrance sustained such damage that it had to be boarded up while the establishment continued to operate through a side entrance. The chaotic scene left witnesses like Andres Chaparro in shock, "We just hear ‘boom,' and it was super loud," said Chaparro, in an interview with 7News.
Pieces of the damaged vehicles laid strewn across the crash site, which was taped off as a crime scene. The investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing. Witnesses emphasized the importance of road safety, with Francois advising, "Watch how you driving. People got kids to go home to, a family to go home to so just when y'all driving out here, just watch what y'all are doing," according to Local 10 News.
