** Following original reports indicating that one person died in the accident, a second person died days later. This article was updated to reflect that.
Strong winds are being blamed for toppling a Denny’s sign that fell on a car, killing two and injuring another.
The sign in Elizabethtown, KY was captured on surveillance video as it fell 80 feet, the WLKY news station reports.
“The sign actually hit the back seat, so had the car been just a few inches farther back, it could have taken out everybody in the car, and unfortunately, we could have had three fatalities,” Elizabethtown Fire Chief Mark Malone said.
Amy Nichols – whose grandparents, Lloyd and Lynn Curtis, died in the accident – told the outlet that the family is now seeking answers.
“Those signs are made to withstand up to 100 mph winds … it was only, I think, like, 40 miles per hour. That sign should not have fell. Somebody will be held responsible for this,” she said.
Those winds also made it impossible to land a medical helicopter, the article says.
Denny’s released a statement in response to the tragedy, which reads in part: “Safety is our top priority, and we are working with the authorities to better understand what led to this situation. Our thoughts are with all of those involved.”
Read more at WLKY.