Multiple people were injured, three of them taken to the hospital, after a car crashed into a church in San Francisco on Sunday, according to the fire department.
San Francisco Fire said just before 1:30 p.m., they responded to a report of a car into a building at 551 Nevada between Ogden and Crescent avenues. Fire officials added that the building was an occupied church.
Authorities reported that seven people were being evaluated on the scene with apparent minor injuries, and three were taken to the hospital. According to officials, the building was evacuated, and the crash appears to be unintentional, “as the driver of the car is associated with the address.”
This crash means that two local congregations have lost their regular worship space, at least for now. The building is owned by Good Hope Baptist Church, which has held services there for decades.
The MiShalom San Francisco Church rents out the space from Good Hope and has been holding services there as well for eight years, according to the pastor.
MiShalom Church members said the crash happened just as they were preparing for their 1:30 p.m. service, so some members — including many families — were already gathered inside the building. Church members said a man who is not part of their congregation backed up in the parking lot, hit a parked car, and accelerated into the church, crashing through the wall and injuring families and children inside.
Pastor Benjamin Leiva wept as he recalled the crash happening.
“This is a difficult time for me and my family,” he said.
Leiva said that a toddler was trapped under the car when it crashed into the building, and he was able to help move that toddler to safety.
Leiva and other church members said that multiple children were injured, as well as a pregnant woman.
“It’s a lot of structure damage, it’s a lot of psychological impact on everyone for the church,” said Joel Leiva, the brother of Pastor Leiva, who also attends the church.
“It feels very hard, and my heart is heavy,” said Dorothy Avery as she looked at the damage to the building. Avery said she has been attending this church since she was a child.
“We don’t know when we’ll get it fixed, and we’ll be able to come back and worship again,” she continued.
For now, the building has been boarded up.
MiShalom Church leaders are asking for help from anyone who has space to host their congregation of 80 to 90 people for church services for the time being.
