FOXBORO, MASS. (WHDH) - Four children were taken to area hospitals Tuesday after a van slammed into a YMCA location in Foxboro, officials said.
Foxboro police in a post on Facebook said the crash happened around 4:30 p.m. at the Hockomock Area YMCA at 67 Mechanic Street.
Later speaking with reporters, police and fire officials said injuries were minor, mostly resulting from broken glass as the van smashed into a daycare area.
“This is a horrific accident,” said Foxboro Police Chief Michael Grace. “But, when we look at the whole scope of it, it could have been worse.”
The driver in this crash somehow drove over the curb and into at least one bollard that may have helped slow it down. The driver then smashed through a glass wall.
Five children were in the daycare at the time of the crash.
Later gathered outside, concerned parents shared their reactions.
“My thought of it is just, ‘How? How could that even be possible?” said Dakota Marrow.
Officials said the van driver stayed at the scene and was cooperating with investigators as of Tuesday evening.
Foxboro police said the Foxboro building commissioner was also on scene as of 5:30 p.m. checking the safety and integrity of the building.
Officials, including the CEO of the Foxboro YMCA credited daycare staff, in the meantime, for their response after this crash.
“Seeing that and going through that is very difficult for them,” said Hockomock Area YMCA CEO Jim Downs. “But they are trained to do it and they did exactly what they needed to do.”
“They really responded admirably, they were great,” Grace said. “What a team — rendering first aid to the kids.”
The van is from Amego, which runs houses for those with intellectual disabilities. The driver was reportedly dropping off a woman for her swim class at the YMCA.
“He’s OK. The client that we serve that was with him is OK and we’re just hoping that the families and the kids that were involved are also OK,” said Amego President and CEO John Randall.
“We have a longstanding partnership with the YMCAs,” Randall continued. “It’s an important part of their lives and this is an unfortunate incident.”
Aaliyah Smith attends the Hockomock Area YMCA and said she is often in a play gym room close to the part of the building that was hit in Tuesday’s crash.
“It’s very scary just to know that I could have been in that room and injured,” she said.
Though the situation was scary, officials continued in their comments, saying they were glad this did not turn out worse.
“Very fortunate, I think, that they are as minor as they are,” said Downs. “But any injury is really sad for us.”
Downs said safety is “obviously a huge priority” for the YMCA, adding that the team takes pride in keeping children safe.
“That’s what we do at the YMCA. We want to continue to do that. But, unfortunately, incidents like this do happen,” he said. “We hope they never happen again. But they do happen.”
Crews were still cleaning up around 9 p.m. Tuesday night.
While investigators reviewed video and continued their investigation, they said this incident is believed to be an accident.
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