Children rescued from underneath van after crash into apartment

Crash occurred around 3:30 a.m. at Salem Creek Apartments

SAN ANTONIO – Three children, ages 5, 7 and 10, are being treated at an area hospital after a van crashed into their bedroom overnight.

The crash occurred around 3:30 a.m. at the Salem Creek Apartments in the 800 block of Flame Circle, not far from South Flores Street and March Avenue on the city's South Side.

Fire officials said the van was heading west on March Avenue when it crossed South Flores Street and, for an unknown reason, plowed into the side of the apartment building.

Authorities said the van ended up about halfway inside a ground-floor apartment where there were four people, including three children, inside.

The father of the family arrived home after the crash and said the kids were in bed when the van plowed into the bedroom. His wife screamed for neighbors to help lift up the vehicle, since the van was on top of two girls and they couldn't breathe, he said.

Neighbors pulled the kids out from under the van and all three children are now stable at the hospital, the father said.

B​​​​oth the van driver and the passenger were also taken to the hospital for their injuries. The fire department said they are listed in critical condition.

Firefighters said the van hit the floor of the second-floor apartment and knocked part of the building off its foundation. When firefighters arrived, there were some power lines involved so the whole area was electrified. Emergency crews had to wait for CPS Energy to arrive and turn off the power, authorities said.

The building has since been deemed unsafe except for a few apartments, but it has no electricity. All of the people in the building will probably need to be placed in other apartments, officials said.

This is a developing story. Stay with KSAT 12 both online and on-air for more information.


About the Authors:

Ben Spicer is a digital journalist who works the early morning shift for KSAT.

Katrina Webber joined KSAT 12 in December 2009. She reports for Good Morning San Antonio. Katrina was born and raised in Queens, NY, but after living in Gulf Coast states for the past decade, she feels right at home in Texas. It's not unusual to find her singing karaoke or leading a song with her church choir when she's not on-air.