Turner business indefinitely closed after vehicle crashes into building

Oct. 14--TURNER -- The Pussums Cat Company, a small business at 293 Auburn Road that sells catnip toys and gifts, will be closed indefinitely to the public after a vehicle crashed into the side of building Monday night, according to owner Susan Shaw.

Shaw said that she and her family got a phone call from the Androscoggin County Sheriff's Office at 10:40 p.m. Monday night saying that someone had crashed into their business.

She said that she was told by deputies with the Sheriff's Office that a woman was driving on Auburn Road with family members when she suffered a medical emergency, swerved off the road and struck the building.

"Unfortunately, she didn't survive the crash, and our thoughts and prayers are with the family of the woman," Shaw said.

Phone calls and e-mails to the Androscoggin County Sheriff's Office and Turner Fire and Rescue seeking comment on details of the accident and the identity of the woman killed in the crash were not immediately returned.

Shaw said that nobody was working inside the building at the time of the crash.

However, she said that her three rescue kittens -- Angel, Cabo and Alfie -- were inside the building at the time.

"They live in the shop and they're safe at my house now thanks to the firefighters and Sheriff's Office deputies," Shaw said.

She said that the vehicle "came through the north side of the building at an angle, went through the exterior wall and continued to breach the interior wall until coming to a stop."

"It was terrifying when we saw what it looked like inside and couldn't find our cats," Shaw said.

Shaw said that the Pussums Cat Company will remain closed for an "undetermined amount of time" while she and her family "contact our insurance company" and "have a clearer idea of what our options are for the short term to get back up and running."

She said that she's hoping to begin shipping orders again "by the end of next week."

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