SASKATOON — It is business as usual for the Zak’s Home Hardware store on Central Avenue after a car crashed into the establishment early Friday morning.
The incident was reported Nov. 14 at 1:51 a.m. Saskatoon police were first on the scene and radioed for assistance from the Saskatoon Fire Department.
Upon arrival, SFD crews saw that a car had crashed into the building, causing significant damage to the front of the structure.
SFD crews checked the structure’s safety and ensured the vehicle’s engine was off to prevent a fire. They also checked the car for leaking fluids and other damage.
No occupants were found in the vehicle that drove through the branch of Zak’s Home Hardware, a family-owned Saskatchewan business.
Zak’s chief retail officer, Wyatt Zacharias, told SaskToday they received a call from their security company about the incident in which the vehicle drove through the front of their building.
“Thankfully, this incident happened early in the morning. Our till was located where the car drove through the store. If this were during our office hours, someone could have been hurt,” said Zacharias.
The store opens at 9 a.m., and while customers were busy shopping and looking for items they needed, Zak’s construction crew was busy boarding up the heavily damaged front.
Zacharias added that the incident did not appear to be a robbery, since security footage showed three people fleeing the scene on foot.
“They didn’t take anything. We suspect that it was a drunk driver. The police had the vehicle towed away. We have our own construction guys, so we’re quick to patch this up,” said Zacharias.
He said police are still looking for the driver and two passengers of the vehicle, which caused an estimated $30,000 in damage when it crashed into the store.
