By: Richard L. Smith
A violent crash claimed the life of a 72-year-old man after a car slammed into a Planet Fitness gym on Newark Avenue Tuesday afternoon.
According to preliminary information from Elizabeth Police, the incident occurred at approximately 12:20 p.m. when a vehicle driven by a 69-year-old woman struck the front of the building. 
The male victim, who was near the window at the time of the crash, was fatally injured.
A 59-year-old man exercising on a treadmill sustained cuts and abrasions during the impact, while the driver was also treated for injuries consistent with airbag deployment.
Police said the driver is cooperating with investigators, and no possibilities have been ruled out at this stage of the ongoing investigation.
The City’s Construction Official has ordered the gym closed until further notice while structural assessments are made.