Afternoon traffic in Northeast Philadelphia turned chaotic Tuesday when a car barreled through the front entrance of the Philadelphia Police Department's 2nd District building, ending up entirely inside the precinct and leaving shattered glass and debris scattered across the sidewalk.
The crash, which happened around 1:45 p.m., brought firefighters, EMS crews and patrol officers racing to the scene. City workers quickly shut down a stretch of Castor Avenue as first responders assessed the damage and tried to make sense of how a car ended up in the lobby of a police station.
Drivers and neighbors in the Rhawnhurst section were forced to reroute while officers secured the area and kept onlookers back from the broken entrance.
Where it happened
The collision occurred on the 7300 block of Castor Avenue in Rhawnhurst around 1:45 p.m., according to 6abc Action News. Video from the station's Action Cam and chopper showed the vehicle inside the 2nd District building after it smashed through the front doors.
As of the latest reports, officials had not publicly identified the driver or explained how the vehicle ended up inside the precinct.
What the footage shows
Helicopter and SKYFOX footage revealed the car fully inside the station after tearing through doors and windows, FOX29 Philadelphia reported. Broadcast images showed piles of debris near the entrance while crews worked around the vehicle to secure the scene from both the street and the air.
Investigators on site were working to determine whether the crash was accidental or intentional, with no immediate ruling either way.
Injuries and road closures
Authorities did not immediately confirm whether anyone suffered serious injuries, though one person was seen being placed into an ambulance and taken from the scene, according to NBC10 Philadelphia.
Castor Avenue was shut down around the 7300 block while city crews and officers worked to clear debris and stabilize the area, 6abc Action News reported. City and police officials were expected to inspect the building before the station reopens for walk-in services.
Police said the crash remains under investigation and that more information will be released as it becomes available, according to FOX29 Philadelphia. Additional details, including the driver's identity and what led up to the impact, were still pending.
