Braintree Car into a building w/ Hazmat

     On Tuesday evening, just before 6pm, Braintree Fire and Police departments responded to a "Car into a building" call. Upon arrival, they found a new model Dodge Caliber resting on it's side after crashing through the front windows of Champion Cleaners at 1721 Washington St. The driver was pinned behind the wheel and firefighters had to use a power saw and the Jaws of Life to extricate the driver through a hole cut in the roof. It is unclear what kind of injuries the driver suffered at this time.
     While on the scene, firefighters and police officers noticed a smell of natural gas and ordered that Nation Grid respond ASAP. Gas was shut off as well as electricity to the building a short time later. The Department of Fire Services was called in to check on chemicals that spilled and mixed due to the impact. Shortly after their arrival, a Tier 2 Hazmat response was ordered, bringing in firefighters from across the eastern part of the state. A 2 man team in full Hazmat gear entered the building to take samples. Rt. 37(Washington St) in Braintree was closed for approximately 4 hours while Hazmat crews worked at the scene. Decontamination pools were set up along the road, and multiple emergency vehicles were parked along the road, prompting police to divert traffic.