Garbage truck crashes into home while mother, two young children were inside

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    ETNA, Pennsylvania (WTAE) — A garbage truck crashed into a home in Etna, Allegheny County, on Tuesday afternoon.

This happened along Spang Alley near Route 8.

A mother and her two young children were inside the house when the crash happened.

“Miraculously there were three occupants inside the home. A child sleeping on the first floor right inside the front room where the wall, where the garbage truck struck. And then two other folks, fortunately, none of them were injured,” said Etna Volunteer Fire Department Chief Greg Porter.

Michelle Kelly got the call from her daughter who said “a truck just came through our house.”

Kelly rushed to check on her family.

“So I fought the traffic to get here and the kids are safe and that’s all that’s really important,” Kelly said.

The fire chief said the truck experienced a mechanical failure.

“One of the occupants of the truck actually jumped out of the truck prior to the impact. The second one, the driver, was still in the truck when it hit the house and rolled onto its side,” Porter said.

The driver kicked out the front windshield to get out of the truck. Both men suffered minor injuries, officials said.

Crews stayed at the scene for a while, cleaning up the oil spilled onto Route 8, as well as setting up braces on the house, which may have to be condemned.

“The reason for the stabilization is to prevent it from falling onto Route 8. We can keep traffic flowing so there’s no risk to anyone,” Porter said.

The Red Cross is helping the family and securing a hotel for them.

Although the driver of the truck did not suffer serious injuries, he was taken to an area hospital for observation.

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