Children injured in restaurant crash
BMW ploughs into Sydney chicken restaurant in Allambie Heights, injuring three children
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The crash happened just before 3pm on Sunday on Allambie Road, Allambie Heights, when a BMW station wagon mounted the curb and ploughed into Wicked Chicken, injuring children who were inside.
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A neighbouring shop worker described the moment: 'We heard a loud bang and then we heard a kid scream and then lots of people ran. It was pretty quick.'
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NSW Police described the incident as the first time a car has driven into Wicked Chicken, with locals noting crashes can occur in the area when vehicles reverse out.
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The driver, a man in his 40s who had been parked at the shop front, was breath tested at the scene as part of the investigation.
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The seven-year-old was treated for leg and arm injuries and transported to Sydney Children's Hospital; two other children were treated at the scene for minor injuries.
A BMW station wagon mounted a curb and crashed into Wicked Chicken in Allambie Heights, Sydney, just before 3pm on Sunday, injuring three children who were eating inside. 7News reported that a seven-year-old boy suffered leg and arm injuries and was taken to Sydney Children's Hospital in Randwick.
9News reported the driver — a man in his 40s — was parked at the shopfront and is believed to have pressed the accelerator instead of the brake. A breath test at the scene returned a negative result. Police have opened a formal investigation into the crash.
A Loud Bang, a Child's Scream, Then Chaos
The silver BMW surged forward and smashed through the glass shopfront of Wicked Chicken on Allambie Road. Workers from neighbouring shops rushed to help within seconds. A witness told 7News: "We heard a loud bang and then we heard a kid scream and then lots of people ran. It was pretty quick."
Three children were inside the restaurant at the time. Paramedics treated all three at the scene. The seven-year-old, who suffered a fractured leg, was the only one transported to hospital. Two younger children were treated for minor injuries and released to their parents on site, according to 9News.
Driver Pressed Wrong Pedal, Police Say
NSW Police believe the driver made a "pedal misapplication" — pressing the accelerator when he meant to hit the brake. This is a common cause of low-speed crashes near parked storefronts. The Northern Beaches Advocate reported the driver had been stationary at the shopfront before the car lurched forward.
The driver's breath test came back at 0.00. Police described the crash as a "freak accident" and said it was the first time a vehicle had driven into Wicked Chicken. The car was towed from the scene and a formal investigation is underway, according to 7News.
Allambie Road Layout Has Long Worried Locals
The Allambie Road shopping strip uses nose-in parking — where cars point directly at glass-fronted shops. Local residents told the Northern Beaches Advocate that this layout creates risk, noting vehicles often nudge the curb when reversing out of tight spots.
Safety experts have pushed for steel bollards in front of storefronts close to nose-in parking. Glass shopfronts offer almost no resistance to even a slow-moving car. The crash is estimated to have caused over $150,000 in damage to Wicked Chicken, which closed for repairs in the days following the incident.
Seven-Year-Old Recovering, Investigation Continues
The injured boy was taken to Sydney Children's Hospital with a fractured leg and injuries to his arm. Head Topics Australia reported he was in a stable condition following the crash. The two other children — treated at the scene — were released to their families without needing hospital care.
NSW Police from the Northern Beaches Police Area Command are leading the investigation. No charges have been laid as of Sunday evening. Authorities are still working to establish the full sequence of events, with the case being treated as negligent driving pending the outcome, according to 7News.
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