Van Crashes Into Bel Air Businesses, Building Condemned: Police

BEL AIR, MD — A Bel Air building that houses four businesses has been condemned after a van crashed into it Tuesday morning. Nobody was injured, police said.

The driver said he had been headed south in the 1300 block of Belair Road when the vehicle's steering malfunctioned, and he lost control of the Chevy minivan, according to authorities.

Troopers were called at 10:40 a.m. for a report of a vehicle that had hit a building, and they said they found the minivan had driven inside the business.

The vehicle was not removed immediately after the crash because the building was structurally unsound, making it unsafe, police said.

The van was essentially holding up the building, where workers inside had to climb out the window to escape, according to WBAL, which reported the only business open at the time was the insurance agency.

Crews from Fallston and Bel Air as well as the Harford County Technical Rescue Team assisted with the response, including helping three people get out of the building, according to the Bel Air Volunteer Fire Company.

A Harford County building inspector condemned the structure, which police noted used to be a Maryland State Police outpost from 1923 to 1939 when the Benson Barrack was built.