Local News
No injuries were reported after officials said a driver accidentally accelerated into the BrightPath daycare on Friday morning.
A vehicle crashed into the front of a Norwood daycare on Friday morning, forcing the childcare center to temporarily close while officials assessed structural damage, according to local authorities.
Emergency crews responded just before 9 a.m. to BrightPath Norwood Child Care Center at 1210 Providence Highway after reports that a vehicle had barreled into the front entrance of the building, officials said. Photos shared by Norwood Firefighters Local 1631 showed a white Jeep lodged through the center’s glass front entryway.
No injuries were reported among children, staff, families, or the driver, according to the daycare and local authorities. Children inside the facility were safely evacuated after the crash.
Norwood police said the driver had been dropping off a passenger and mistakenly failed to put the Jeep in park. When the SUV began rolling forward, the driver tried to stop it but accidentally hit the accelerator, sending the vehicle into the building.
Fire officials described the damage to the building as “moderate.” After inspecting the scene, the town building inspector ordered the daycare shut down pending further evaluation of the structure, according to the Norwood firefighters union.
“Incidents like this are a reminder that today’s fire service is truly an all-hazards response agency,” the Norwood Fire Department said in a statement on social media. “From fires and medical emergencies to motor vehicle accidents, hazardous conditions, and structural concerns, Norwood firefighters work alongside other town departments every day to help keep the community safe.”
Witness Rob Reilly told WDHD that the kids were away from the collision area and that staff appeared to have handled the incident well.
“It seems like the gentleman, maybe, it might not have been in park, or something like that … scrambling with a couple of kids, it went right through the front window.”
A spokesperson for BrightPath told the outlet that families were notified immediately after the incident and that staff prioritized moving children away from the affected area.
The crash remains under investigation.
Morgan Rousseau is a freelance writer for Boston.com, where she reports on a variety of local and regional news.
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