A woman believed to be in her 70s has sustained serious head injuries after being struck and pinned by a car at a mechanic garage on Darby Street in Newcastle on Wednesday afternoon.
Incident details
Emergency services were called to the scene near the King Street intersection around 2:15pm following reports of a workplace crash. Upon arrival, paramedics found the woman trapped after a vehicle accelerated toward her, pinning her against a wall.
The woman was assessed for head injuries at the scene before being transported to John Hunter Hospital. An Ambulance spokeswoman described her condition as serious but stable.
Possible brake failure
Initial reports to Triple-0 suggested that a brake failure may have caused the car to lurch forward and strike the woman. It is understood the vehicle was being mechanically assessed at the time of the incident.
Firefighters remained on the scene into the evening, with the garage cordoned off while authorities conducted their investigation. Some structural damage to the building was noted before the scene was handed over to local officials.
Police and regulatory involvement
A NSW Police spokeswoman confirmed the matter has been referred to Safe Work NSW, the workplace health and safety regulator, which has been approached for comment.
A witness who passed the scene described a white car that appeared to have collided with significant force against a wall near the garage entrance.
The road was closed for an extended period but has since reopened. The garage remained cordoned off into the night on Wednesday, May 13.
This is a developing story and may be updated as more information becomes available.
