UPDATE: Police are questioning the elderly driver of a car that crashed through a fence and mounted the platform at Altona train station yesterday (May 8).
First Constable Elise Dobson, of Altona North police station, said it was a miracle no one was injured.
A packed peak-hour train pulled in to the station one minute after the incident, which happened at 5.23pm.
People standing on the platform at the time were not in the car’s path and Railway Street South was clear.
The driver, an 88 year old Seaholme man, had just left the Altona RSL Club in Sargood Street.
First Constable Dobson said she was patrolling on the corner of Pier Street and Railway Street South when the crash happened just metres away.
She said it was lucky no pedestrians were in Railway Street South and the commuters standing on the platform were not in the car’s path. ‘‘Otherwise they might have got cleaned up,’’ she said.
‘‘A lot of things could have happened and everyone was very lucky.
‘‘He’s lost control and he’s ended up half on the fence and on top of the light pole and the speaker system, which caused a five-hour stoppage for the train.
‘‘It was quite amazing because we were near and we heard the crash and went straight there.’’
The car brought down power lines and witnesses watched as the seemingly stunned driver climbed out of the driver’s seat beneath live electricity lines.
People at the scene said they could not comprehend how the car tore through a wire fence and mounted the 1.5-metre platform, smashing right through the ‘Altona’ station sign.
Kylie Kakouratos said it was like a scene out of Dukes of Hazard.
‘‘People are saying you’ll never see a thing like this again in Altona.’’
No alcohol or medical conditions are believed to have contributed to the incident.
The driver is likely to face charges and could lose his licence.
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