Car slams into Kansas family’s home

WICHITA, Kan. (KSN)- A Wichita family got quite a shock Saturday afternoon, after a car came crashing into the side of their home.

It happened just after three o’clock this afternoon in the 23-hundred block of East 1st Street. that’s near the canal route and east high.

Tracy Blackthorn has lived in the house for about a year.

Blackthorn says she saw the whole incident take place from her porch.

“From about right now where that car is at, saw it come around and then hit the house,” said Tracy Blackthorn.

Her husband, Mark and two-year-old granddaughter, Logan were inside at the time.

“All of a sudden I heard some screeching tires and then heard basically a crunch and felt the house shake a little bit,” said Mark Blackthorn.

Mark Blackthorn said he immediately came outside to make sure his wife was okay, then called 911.

After making sure the driver was okay, Tracy says she could smell gas coming from her house.

“I could see it, it was like a white smoke looking coming out of the house,” said Tracy Blackthorn.

Wichita police and fire crews, as well as gas service crews arrived shortly after the 911 call was made.

Battalion Chief Andy Cole says the gas meter of the home was completely knocked off after it was hit.

Cole said crews worked to make sure the home was safe and secure.

“There is some gas that got into the house, in the process of getting that gas out of the house, we have a meter shut down but gas service is going to secure the meter and make sure there are no additional leaks,” said Cole.

The Blackthorns were forced to immediately evacuate the home, but were able to return about an hour later.

“Glad nobody was really hurt, the driver wasn’t even hurt that bad, so he was able to walk away, so nobody was hurt and that’s all that matters,” said Tracy Blackthorn.

The driver was treated by EMS at the scene of the crash, but was not taken to the hospital.

The exact cause of the crash is still being investigated.