You Mean Vodka Burns?

Photo: Chicago Sun-Times

A crash last week in Highland Park, Illinois, revealed a hazard I hadn't considered before. Usually, I'd be focused on someone getting hurt due to direct impact with a vehicle as it crashes into a building. In this instance, the lurking threat came from what was stored inside.

Binny's Beverage Depot was stocked full of vodka, gin and similar products when a woman crashed her BMW through a display window, igniting a fire in the process. A Binny's employee reportedly rescued the driver from her burning car.

“We all heard the impact and the fire started immediately,” the store manager told the Chicago Sun-Times. “It was extremely intense and there was a lot of smoke.”

Highland Park Fire Chief Patrick Tanner credited the store's fire sprinklers for preventing an even bigger tragedy. “It’s a great testimony to the sprinkler system here because there were 100 boxes of alcohol she hit,” he told the paper. “That could really get going (on fire).”

WLS-TV reported that the 84-year-old driver 'was behind the wheel of her BMW, winding her way through the parking lot...when she lost control, jumping a curb and crashing into the [store].'

Chicago Sun-Times video link | WLS-TV video link