Sept. 11 -- LANSING, IL -- Two people were injured and a third was taken to a hospital as a precaution Tuesday morning after a semitrailer veered off Torrence Avenue and barreled into a four-unit apartment building, an official said.
Lansing firefighters were dispatched about 5 a.m. to the crash in the 18400 block of Torrence and located a man in a downstairs apartment, who was removed and taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, said Ken Reynolds, director of communications for the village.
The man's injuries were not life-threatening.
Emergency responders also located a woman and three children in an upstairs apartment and helped them safely evacuate the building through a back door, he said. None of them were injured.
Another man in a downstairs apartment escaped unscathed, but was taken to Community Hospital in Munster because he was shaken up, Reynolds said. Officials have learned that tenant will be OK, he said.
A man who lives in the fourth unit was not home at the time of the crash and has been notified of the damage to the building.
Firefighters worked to extricate the driver of the semi for several hours, finally removing him about 8 a.m. He was taken to the University of Chicago Medicine with non-life-threatening injuries, Reynolds said.
The driver was conscious during the entire extrication process.
The impact of the crash caused some of the building's brick facade to fall away and damaged a window in a downstairs unit. Emergency workers chipped away at more of the facade as they worked to extricate the driver and remove the truck, Reynolds said.
The driver was southbound on Torrence Avenue when he crossed both northbound lanes and crashed into the two-story building. The entire cab of the semi ended up inside the building.
The reason for the crash remained under investigation, Reynolds said. Police have not yet been able to officially interview the driver.
The owner of the building was on-site and will be working with the Lansing building commissioner and engineer to determine the status of the building.
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