A man in his 30s has died and several other people were injured after a car crashed through the entrance of a Lidl store in Wolverhampton on Friday evening, with the driver believed to have suffered a medical incident at the wheel.
Emergency services were called to the supermarket on Finchfield Hill shortly before 6pm on October 23. West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) said the man was pronounced dead at the scene, while three other people were taken to hospital.
Casualties and hospital treatment
Among those injured was a woman who was left in a serious condition and was rushed to hospital along with a man who was also inside the shop. The woman driver of the car was treated at the scene before being taken to hospital, WMAS said.
Another four people were assessed by ambulance staff at the scene. A WMAS spokesman detailed the response: “Firstly, a man who was inside the building who was in a critical condition. He received advanced life support from ambulance staff. Despite their best efforts, it became clear nothing more could be done to save him and he was confirmed deceased at the scene.”
Other patients and police statement
The spokesman added: “Secondly, a woman from the building who was in a serious condition. She received treatment from ambulance staff at the scene before being conveyed to hospital for further treatment. Thirdly a woman who was the driver of the car, who is believed to have suffered a medical incident while at the wheel, received treatment from ambulance staff at the scene before being conveyed to hospital for further assessment.”
“A fourth man from inside the building was assessed and had sustained injuries not believed to be serious. He received treatment from ambulance staff at the scene before being conveyed to hospital for further assessment. Four further patients were assessed by ambulance staff at the scene and had sustained injuries not believed to be serious. They received self-care advice before being discharged at the scene.”
Scene and witness account
Images posted online show the dented car surrounded by toppled displays and goods inside the store, with a twisted shopping trolley and smashed glass visible outside the shopfront, which is behind a police cordon.
West Midlands Police said: “A man in his 30s was sadly pronounced deceased while a number of other people were treated for injuries at the scene. The man’s death is not being treated as suspicious and our thoughts are with his family at this sad time.”
Photographer Tina Bonev, who was in the shop, described hearing a “massive” crash and turning to see a “horrible” scene. She said: “I saw the aisle flying into the air. I could not process what was happening. I saw people walking to me carrying a woman and helping the woman to walk and she was shaking.”
“Then I realised that part of the store is missing, and there was definitely a crash in the shop. There was glass flying and items (shop goods) – it was horrible. There was screaming. There was shouting. Children was screaming. There was crying.” She added that the floor was covered with metal and glass and was “extremely slippy” with the mashed up products from the store.
