Customers at a Burger King in Bridgewater, New Jersey, can still get their breakfast, but only through the drive-through, after a vehicle crashed into the side of the building. The crash left the corner of the popular fast-food restaurant damaged and forced the location to limit how customers can be served while repairs are dealt with. Despite the damage to the structure, the restaurant has stayed open for business.
The crash happened in the early hours of the morning. Reports indicate that the vehicle slammed into the building at around 1:30 on Sunday morning, when the restaurant and the surrounding area were far quieter than they are during the day. The timing of the crash, in the middle of the night, would later prove significant for how the incident unfolded.
Outside, the impact left clear signs of the force involved. The corner of the Burger King is now boarded up, with wood covering the damaged section of the building. Bricks and plants that had been out in front of the restaurant were left scattered on the ground, marking the spot where the vehicle struck the structure.
The damage was even more striking inside the restaurant. According to the scene described from Bridgewater, debris could be seen hanging from the ceiling, with lots of loose material left behind by the crash. There was also debris on the ground, including bricks, along with damage to the tables and chairs in the area where the vehicle came through.
Authorities pointed to impairment as the cause of the crash. Bridgewater police told the local outlet Patch that it was a drunk driver who smashed into the Bridgewater Burger King. The account places responsibility for the destruction on a driver who was behind the wheel while intoxicated in the overnight hours.
The location of the restaurant adds to the concern over the crash. The Burger King sits at the intersection of Finderne Avenue and East Main Street, which people in Bridgewater describe as a very busy intersection. The volume of traffic that the area normally sees raises the stakes any time a vehicle leaves the roadway there.
For now, residents say there is some relief in how the timing played out. People in Bridgewater noted that the crash thankfully happened when not a lot of people were around, sparing the busy spot from what could have been a far more serious outcome. In the meantime, anyone wanting food from the Bridgewater Burger King will have to use the drive-through until the building is repaired.