A 72-year-old woman was killed when a Denny’s sign fell on her car, crushing her and the vehicle. The freak accident, which occurred in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, left Lillian Curtis dead, the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office said in a report obtained by CNN.
A Denny’s spokesperson is working with authorities to discover what exactly led to the tragic event. The company has offered its condolences to the victim’s family.
“Denny’s is aware of the incident that took place at our Elizabethtown location on Thursday. Safety is our top priority, and we are working with the authorities to better understand what led to this situation,” it said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with all of those involved.”
Three people were in the vehicle at the time of the accident. While an adult female and an adult male survived after being extracted from the vehicle, per Elizabethtown Police Public Information Officer Chris Denham. However, Lillian Curtis lost her life.
“I’ve never seen anything like this,” Denham told WAVE. “It’s certainly very windy out here and I’m certain that did have a factor and was involved in this.”
There was a wind advisory in effect on the day of the accident, with gusts peaking from 45 to 55 miles per hour, per the National Weather Service. The cause of Curtis’ death was listed as “blunt force injuries.” Curtis was said to be sitting in the back seat of the vehicle when the Denny’s sign fell on the car. The other two people in the car were later identified as her daughter and husband.
All three were taken to Baptist Health Hardin for treatment. While Curtis sadly passed away, her daughter and husband sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
An investigation into the event is ongoing.
