A 3-year-old child and her grandmother are recovering after being struck by a vehicle in Worcester, Massachusetts on Wednesday morning.
The crash occurred around 10:30 a.m. in the area of 307 Chandler St.
Worcester Police Lt. Sean Murtha said a vehicle had stopped for the pedestrians in the crosswalk when a silver Chevrolet wasn't paying attention and struck the stopped car.
"It looks like in this case, the car stopped, I don't know if it was sudden or not but the car behind struck the car," said Murtha.
The crash caused the Chevrolet to go airborne, take out a crosswalk signal and come to rest on the child who was being pushed in a stroller.
"The stroller was underneath the car, thankfully not trapped underneath the tires but they were under the car," said Murtha.
Several Department of Public Works employees and a canine officer who happened to be nearby rushed to help the victims.
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Cody Hall was one of the workers who helped lift the vehicle off the child.
"I tried to help someone. The hardest part was when the blood was pumping but the strength was there when needed," said a humble Hall. "You know, your're concerned. It could have been yours, it could have been mine, it could have been anyone's child."
Both victims were transported to an area hospital and are in stable condition, police said.
Worcester City Manager Edward M. Augustus Jr. released a statement on the crash saying thoughts were with the victims while praising the actions of the DPW workers.
"Our thoughts are with the grandmother and three-year old child who were injured this morning in a frightening automobile accident on Chandler Street. We send our hopes and prayers for their speedy recovery. We also express our sincere gratitude to the City of Worcester employees who reacted selflessly in an emergency situation. Their immediate response and thoughtful actions helped prevent a more tragic outcome and serve as a source of pride for our entire City," said Augustus.
The exact cause of the crash remains under investigation. It's unclear if any charges will be filed against the driver of the Chevrolet.
