Car crashes into Cary funeral home, area evacuated due to gas leak

A car driven by a 74-year-old woman crashed Tuesday morning into the former Windridge Funeral Home in Cary, causing a gas leak and forcing an evacuation of the area, authorities said.

The accident happened at about 11 a.m. The woman was transported to Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington, authorities said.

"She just went to be checked out to make sure there was nothing going on," said Cary Fire Protection District Assistant Chief Ken Destree. "The question is why she had the accident. She doesn't really remember, so we just felt she should go."

The woman's car hit the vacant building's gas meter and line, so Nicor was called to the scene and portions of High and Cary roads were closed for just under two hours, Destree said. ComEd was called to cut power to the building and eliminate possible ignition sources, he said.

"The building sustained significant damage in the fact that it kind of shifted the building on the foundation ... " he said. "It's probably going to be razed."

No one else was injured in the accident.