A car crashed into a Portland store on Wednesday, and the owner says he's just thankful to be alive. “I heard a loud bang, so I was a little scared, and then the building started to collapse. I thought the whole building was going to fall to the floor,” Moe Awad said. Video shows the moment the car crashed into the building at 26th and Market Streets in the Portland neighborhood. In a cloud of dust, the car appears to disappear behind bricks as the building continues to collapse. Wreckage from the chaotic scene was still visible Thursday afternoon as witnesses described what happened. “The woman was flying through it and she didn't slow down and then as she hit the building, we heard a loud bang,” Awad said. Police say the driver of the car lost control and crashed into the building that houses Boost Mobile. The store owner said the driver barely missed him and a customer. “I think he walked past that door, about two feet from us from the counter. The funny thing is, the baby was right next to his mother and he almost got hit by the car,” Mohammed Alsaj said. The incident is just one of the reasons shopkeepers on the block say it's not a very safe street. They said they've seen people get hit by cars and accidents happen all the time. “I think about 15 so far this year. Yes, 15 accidents, that's about it,” Awad said. But what he and others witnessed Wednesday afternoon was like nothing they'd ever seen before. That's why many on the block woke up feeling grateful that things hadn't been worse. “And the most important thing is that it allowed us to survive again. It could have been almost the end for us because it was so bad,” Alsaj said.
A car crashed into a store in Portland on Wednesday, but the owner said he's just grateful to be alive.
“I heard a loud noise and was a bit scared, then the building started to collapse. I thought the whole building was going to fall below,” Mo Awad said.
Video shows the moments after a car crashed into the building at 26th Avenue and Market Street in the Portland neighborhood.
As the building continues to collapse, a cloud of dust rises and the car appears to disappear behind bricks.
Evidence of the chaotic scene was still evident Thursday afternoon as witnesses described what happened.
“She was flying through there and then she didn't slow down and as soon as she hit the building there was a loud bang,” Awad said.
Police said the driver of the car lost control and crashed into the building that houses Boost Mobile, but the owner said the driver barely missed him and a customer.
“I think the car went through the door, I think it was about two feet from us from the counter. And the funny thing is, there was a baby right there next to his mother and he was almost hit by the car,” Mohammed Alsaj said.
“This incident is another example of why business owners on this block say it's not the safest street. They say they've seen people get hit by cars and multiple accidents happen.”
“About 15 so far this year. Yes, about 15 accidents,” Awad said.
But what he and others witnessed Wednesday afternoon was unlike anything they'd ever seen before, which is why many in the area woke up grateful that the situation wasn't worse.
“And most importantly, it helped us survive again. It was so bad it could have been the end for us,” Alsaj said.
