Alessio Donnini · CBC News

· Posted: Jun 12, 2026 9:06 AM EDT | Last Updated: 3 hours ago

Seven people were taken to hospital after a vehicle crashed through an exterior wall of a shopping mall in London, Ont., and entered a north-end gym on Friday.

Officials with GoodLife Fitness said the vehicle entered a studio used for group fitness classes at its Sherwood Forest Mall location.

"There were some people injured due to a vehicle coming into the back wall," said Adam Roberts, director of reputation for GoodLife Fitness. "We know they're getting the help they need and first responders were on site quickly. Right now we're focused on taking care of everybody who was affected."

London police Chief Thai Truong confirmed the vehicle's driver was among the seven people injured and sent to hospital.

"One person who was pinned under the vehicle has since been extricated," he told an afternoon news conference. "We are continuing to confirm the full extent of injuries to support notification to families."

Police said one person was in critical condition, one person was in serious condition and five had "fair" injuries.

Truong said criminal charges are expected to be laid against the driver later in the day.

"I can confirm with you that we have evidence and we have information that the vehicle accelerated into the building," he said, adding "our investigation thus far has no evidence to suggest there is terrorism involved in what has occurred today."

Hospital code orange in place for a time

Immediately following the incident, a code orange was activated at the London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC), hospital officials said. There's no immediate word on the condition of the people admitted to the facility.

Code orange is activated during events that cause multiple injuries and require a co-ordinated response. LHSC officials said it has since been cleared.

Emergency crews responded to the back of Sherwood Forest Mall in London, Ont., after a vehicle struck the building on Friday morning. (Josiane N'Tchoreret Mbiamany/CBC)

At the scene, first responders were using equipment to secure and stabilize a large hole in the brick wall of the structure. Through the hole, exercise equipment and debris could be seen strewn across the inside space.

The vehicle remains inside the fitness space and won't be removed until the building's structural integrity has been assessed and supports are in place.

'Traffic does not go that way'

Richard DeJonge, who works at McHardy Vacuum directly across from the crash site, said emergency crews were already in the area when he arrived to work Friday morning.

"I see the hole, but what gets me is what was on the other side of that wall when that damage was done. That's where my heart breaks: for the people who were hurt," he said.

Dante Lindo's family restaurant is also located across from the mall. He said Friday's crash was unusual.

Richard DeJonge works at McHardy Vacuum, which is located across the parking lot from Sherwood Forrest Mall. He says he arrived to work when emergency crews were on the scene of a crash on June 12, 2026. (Kendra Seguin/CBC News)

"I was super confused on how it happened because I've never seen anything like it before in my life," Lindo said.

Both men said they had questions about how the crash happened because there are no parking spaces that face the wall.

"What we don't know is the intention. All we know is that traffic moves sideways. Traffic does not go that way, so that is an extremely rare thing to happen," DeJonge said.

Police are asking the public to avoid the area while they continue to respond and said further updates will be shared as information becomes available.