4 dead, at least 9 injured after minivan collides with nail salon on Long Island

Four people are dead and at least nine others injured when a minivan crashed into a nail salon in Long Island, New York, on Friday.

Deer Park Fire Department Deputy Chief Dominic Albanese told a news conference that the incident occurred shortly before 5 p.m. at Hawaii Nail & Spa, which is part of a shopping center.

“When we arrived, we immediately realised it was a mass casualty incident. We transported nine patients to local hospitals, one of them by air,” said Albanese. “Four patients were dead on arrival. In total, nine departments and eight emergency services were on scene and we had around 150 firefighters and paramedics on site to deal with the incident.”

The fire chief said it appeared the driver of the minivan – who was “partially conscious” when officers arrived on the scene and was later taken to the hospital – drove “all the way through the building.”

“The vehicle drove almost to the back of the salon,” he later emphasized.

The cause of the accident is still being investigated by the Suffolk County Police Department’s Major Investigations Unit, according to the Associated Press. PEOPLE has reached out to the department for comment.

Witnesses told WABC-TV that the minivan “raced” through the parking lot before the incident, apparently trying to leave the area. It then reportedly drove around another car stopped at a stoplight and crashed into the salon as it attempted to turn onto the street.

Albanese said it appeared the fatalities were in the building at the time of the crash, noting that some of them had to be “extricated” before they could also be taken to local hospitals.

“This has been very difficult for all firefighters and paramedics on the scene and we will be meeting with the crisis team this evening in case anyone needs assistance and all departments involved are present,” Albanese said.

While the identities of the driver and victims have not yet been released, Albanese described the incident as “horrific.”

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“This will be hard for the community, hard for the volunteer fire department,” he said. “But we will get through this.”