Ambulance involved in head-on crash

By Craig Hendry

One person was airlifted to a London hospital following a head-on crash between a mini-van and a Chatham-Kent ambulance near Tilbury this morning.

Chatham-Kent police Constable Rennee Cowell told CKReview that the accident happened around 10:00 a.m. Wednesday morning on Queens line east of the 401. Cowell stated that a mini-van traveling eastbound on Queens Line crossed the centre line collided with a Chatham-Kent ambulance that was traveling westbound.

It took nearly an hour after the initial call about the accident to 9-1-1; for firefighters from Tilbury and Merlin to extricate the drivers of both vehicles due to the extreme damage to to the ambulance and and min-van.

The driver of the mini-van, a 25-year-old Tilbury man was airlifted by air ambulance to London Health Sciences Centre with life threatening injuries. Two on duty paramedics were in the ambulance at the time, and did not have a patient on board. A 36-year-old female paramedic who was driving the ambulance was taken by land ambulance to Hôtel-Dieu Grace Hospital in Windsor with serious injuries. A 46-year-old male paramedic was taken to Chatham-Kent Health Alliance with non life threatening injuries.

Chatham-Kent police say that Queens Line will remain closed between the 401 and Merlin Rd. most of the afternoon, noting that the on-scene investigation will take a considerable time to complete.

Update:

According to Chatham-Kent police, the 25-year-old driver of the mini-van remains in critical but stable condition at London Health Sciences Centre. The 36-year-old female paramedic who was driving the ambulance is in serious but stable condition at Hôtel-Dieu Grace Hospital in Windsor. The 46-year-old male paramedic from Chatham sustained only minor injuries from the crash and is in stable condition at Chatham-Kent Health Alliance.

Steve Pancino, General Manager for Medavie EMS, the company contracted out to provide land ambulance service in Chatham-Kent says Our current priority and concern is focused on the employees involved, their families and the patient in the other vehicle.”

Pancino went on to say “We are working closely with Chatham-Kent Police Service and the Ministry of Labour as they investigate this collision.”

We are providing support and resources to everyone involved at this time and are wishing for positive outcomes” says Pancino.

The Chatham-Kent Police Traffic Management Unit is currently investigation the collision. Anyone with information about this collision is asked to contact Constable Michael Pearce at 519-355-1092. Anonymous callers may contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) and may be eligible for a cash reward.

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