After a tractor trailer carrying multiple cars slammed into Simeons on South Aurora Friday afternoon, local bystanders stepped in to help where they could on scene.
Police on the scene said at least three people have been sent to the hospital. No official count on injuries or fatalities.
Dintu Sidiki, one bystander on scene, was there at the time of the crash and said she was worried the whole building was going to fall down.
“I was so scared, I thought the whole building was going to fall down because bricks just started flying across the street. I was so scared. I didn’t know what to do. I literally thought we were all going to die,” Sidiki said. “I helped two other people. One lady had a piece of wood in her arm and her face was all bloody.”
Griffin Carmichael who was also on scene said people were crawling out of the basement and windows. He said people on scene broke windows so that people inside could escape.
“People were coming out of the basement, people were crawling out of the windows. We immediately broke the window so people could come out. Bricks were falling and people were coming out injured and crying and that’s when the cops arrived.”
Another witness on scene, Michael Howe, said he was walking down Aurora Street when he saw the truck barreling down the hill and said he had to jump out of the way.
“I saw the truck coming down State Street. I had to literally jump out of the way. Thank god I’m here today,” Howe said. “I saw the building come down on it, collapse on top of it.”
After jumping out of the way, he said, he ran around the truck and tried to help by smashing in the windows with a brick that had fallen.
“Literally everybody started flocking to help,” he said. “I’m just glad I could be part of the community and pitch in on that.”
Check back for more updates. We have reporters on scene. Follow our coverage here and on Twitter @ithacavoice.