Driver dies after car crashes into historic Long Island meeting house, bursts in flames
MANHASSET, Long Island (WABC) -- The small SUV suddenly plowed through an historic building on Northern Boulevard, killing the driver just before 5:30 on Thursday morning.
Volunteers from the Manhasset-Lakeville Fire Department raced to the scene to find the vehicle fully engulfed.
"The vehicle is registered to a 41-year-old man who resides in New Rochelle, New York. However, because of the condition of the body, we have not yet confirmed the identification of the driver," Nassau County Police Det. Lt. Scott Skrynecki said.
What they know is that the vehicle was traveling northbound on Shelter Rock Road.
Anyone familiar with this area knows it is a very busy commercial zone except for the building that has been here since the Revolutionary War. The Manhasset Quaker Meeting House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2009.
Ironically, it's the only building set back a bit from the busy road,
"It's used for homeschooling, It's used for a variety of art and culture programs," house member Dick Lopez said. "It's a special place. We're here every Sunday."
Police said the driver plowed across Northern Boulevard, but they do not know why.
"Whether or not the driver had the driver had a medical episode, whether speed was a factor, whether the weather conditions were a factor," Skrynecki said
The busy commercial zone was shut down for more than 6 hours, causing a rare detour onto residential blocks of Manhasset.
By midday, the stretch of Northern Boulevard had reopened to traffic. Still, many questions remain about the structural integrity of this historic building and the circumstances that led to the crash.
Traffic in the area remained backed up for hours after the crash.
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