ATHOL — A female employee working inside Target Marketing Worldwide Inc., at 1302 Main St. was transported to Athol Hospital by ambulance Friday after being knocked off her feet when a vehicle veered off Main Street, mowed over a large hydrangea bush and struck the building, buckling the vinyl siding and damaging the corner of the building.
The police responded to a 911 call at 10 a.m. reporting a car into a house at the corner of Green and Main streets. They found 85-year-old Angelina Nelson of Pleasant Street Athol, behind the wheel, and transported her by ambulance to Athol Hospital. According to the police, both women appeared to have minor injuries. Both the vehicle and the house sustained extensive damage. Traffic was blocked to traffic onto Green street for a time and the area of the structure was cordoned off by yellow caution tape.
The car was towed from the scene. Nelson was cited for a marked lanes violation.
Athol police and fire personnel responded to the accident and the Athol Building Inspector was called to the scene to assess the damage of the structure.
Inspector Bob Legare said, “There is extensive damage to the corner of the building. The impact shifted the house off the foundation by two inches.” He said the shift of the building caused damage to windows and doors, and the foundation was caved in. “The windows will need to be replaced and the doors are sticking,” he said, adding they turned off the power to a couple of the rooms and erected the caution tape. He estimated roughly $20,000 in damage to the post and beam structure. “It’s going to take a lot of work to get the structure back on the foundation,” he said, adding, “but it’s a sturdy building.”
He said the next step is for the insurance company to make their own assessment and hire a contractor to make the repairs.
No one answered calls to Target Marketing Worldwide seeking information prior to press time.