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Geez, who gets sued over this?

The Tradition

HR King
Apr 23, 2002
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Patient killed, paramedic critically injured after fire rips through ambulance in apparent explosion​


KAILUA (HawaiiNewsNow) - A patient was killed and a paramedic was critically injured Wednesday night when an apparent explosion ripped through an ambulance outside Adventist Health Castle hospital.

Honolulu Emergency Medical Services said the fire began just past 8 p.m. when an EMS crew stationed out of Kaneohe was transporting a patient to the hospital.

EMS said the 91-year-old patient died at the scene.

An EMT in the front of the ambulance was also treated for injuries and is in stable condition.

At a news conference outside the Kailua hospital late Wednesday, a visibly shaken city Emergency Services Director Dr. Jim Ireland said it remained unclear what caused the ambulance to erupt in flames.

“This is something I’ve never seen before,” he said.

Ireland said the patient who died was in the back of the ambulance with the paramedic, an eight-year veteran of the city. The paramedic has been transferred to the Straub Medical Center, he added.

“It’s just very hard to be in the situation where our team is the one who is injured,” Ireland said.

Emergency Medical Services Acting Chief Chris Sloman added: “It’s been a very difficult night.”

“We ask for everyone’s prayers and thoughts for the family of the patient that’s deceased and for the paramedic that’s been injured in the line of duty,” Sloman said.

The Honolulu Fire Department responded to the blaze and said crews had the fire under control within 11 minutes of their arrival.

HFD is investigating the blaze, and did not immediately have details on what could have happened.

But disturbing witness video showed plumes of thick smoke pouring from the ambulance as firefighters responded, frantically working to put out the flames.

“This just happened. It’s a very difficult situation for us,” Ireland told reporters. “We’re all just very concerned about our team and of course the patient who lost their life tonight in the ambulance.”

 
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