A car slammed into this house on Emerson Street in Melrose. (Kim Tunnicliffe/WBZ NewsRadio 1030)
MELROSE (WBZ-AM) -- Homeowner Paul Mastronardi was at South Station when he got a call from his neighbor that a car had careened up his front steps and crashed through his house.
Mastronardi told WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Kim Tunnicliffe he couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"No, no, they didn't smash in my front door," he said, trying to convince himself. "There's no car in my foyer."
The driver had passed out behind the wheel after giving blood. They smashed into the foyer of Mastronardi's Emerson Street home, landing some twelve feet inside.
"He gave blood," Mastronardi said. "He lost it--woke up and got out of the car himself. The mailman saw the whole thing, he opened the door and got out and walked away."
When Mastronardi came home, there was a huge, gaping hole where his front door used to be. Many of his prized antiques were in shambles. Yet, he still couldn't help but chuckle about the whole thing.
"Look at them--they're all in pieces, laying on the floor," he said, laughing. "Sewing machine, antique radio, antique clock, antique table, demolished."
After all, he and his wife weren't home, so they were safe, and the driver was able to get out of the car. Despite the extensive damage, which totals into the thousands of dollars, he said things can be replaced--people cannot.
"We're getting a new front door out of it, a new porch," he said. "No one's hurt. We're alright."
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Kim Tunnicliffe reports