'Almighty bang': Car crashes into building in Rotorua inner city

The damaged front of the Pukaki St building. Photo / Stephen Parker

Bricks were smashed and a window was damaged when a car ploughed into a building in the Rotorua CBD yesterday.

A police spokeswoman said police were called to Pukaki St at 9.25am.

A Rotorua Daily Post reporter at who was at the scene at the time said a car with two occupants had crashed into the front of the Family Focus building on Pukaki St damaging the front window and brick tiles.

Emergency services at the scene. Photo / Stephen Parker

A St John ambulance staff member was checking over car's occupants, she said.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand staff are also on the scene.

A woman inside the building said she heard an "almighty bang".

"I came out and saw the couch had moved [in the waiting room] and then I saw the damage."

She said she then saw the car behind the couch had gone through the front of the building.

"We went outside and there was a bit of smoke so someone went and got a fire extinguisher. We are just glad no one was seriously hurt."

The man driving has been taken to Rotorua Hospital as a precaution and the woman passenger was visibly upset and was being supported by emergency services.