A tragic car crash has claimed the life of a pedestrian and left two others hospitalised after a vehicle ploughed into a medical centre in Melbourne's northwest.
Emergency Response at Niddrie Intersection
Emergency services were called to the intersection of Keilor and Hoffmans Roads in Niddrie just after 9:30am on Monday following reports of a serious collision. Upon arrival, crews discovered a chaotic scene where a car had smashed directly into the front of a local medical centre.
Paramedics found a male pedestrian and a woman inside the building who had both been struck during the incident. Despite the efforts of first responders, the male pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene. The woman sustained serious injuries to her upper and lower body and required urgent medical evacuation; she was airlifted to hospital in a critical condition.
Driver Under Police Guard
The male driver of the vehicle, aged 63, was also injured in the crash. He was transported to hospital for treatment and remains under police guard as investigations into the cause of the incident continue. The circumstances leading up to the vehicle leaving the road and crashing into the building are not yet clear.
One witness described hearing a "big crash" followed by "horrendous" screaming. "You could hear the thud of something and it was absolutely horrific to hear," the shaken witness told 7NEWS.
Major Transport Disruption and Investigation
The crash caused significant disruption across the area, with trams and traffic brought to a complete halt. The Department of Transport and Planning confirmed the major intersection was closed in all directions.
"The intersection of Keilor Road and Hoffmans Road, Niddrie is closed to traffic and trams in all directions, due to a serious collision," a statement read. It advised that anyone needing to access local businesses or homes should detour using other roads under the direction of emergency services. The intersection will only reopen once police investigations are complete and it is deemed safe.
Major Collision Investigation Unit detectives are now working to piece together the events that led to the fatal crash. Police have urged anyone with information, dashcam footage, or who witnessed the incident to come forward and contact Crime Stoppers.
