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Ambulance Explodes on Jamaicaway
No patient was in the ambulance when it caught fire. Later, as fire crews doused the burning vehicle, an oxygen canister exploded.
An oxygen container apparently exploded on this ambulance at the Jamaicaway and Pond Street on Feb. 2, 2011.
Photos (11)
Photos
A Cataldo ambulance caught fire and, while fire crews doused the flames, an oxygen canister exploded in the vehicle.
The incident took place around 12:18 pm Wednesday, according to Steve MacDonald, Fire Department spokesman.
No one was hurt, but two firefighters went to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center to get their hearing checked for possible damage from the loud explosion, MacDonald said.
The two paramedics in the ambulance escaped safely. No patient was in the ambulance at the time.
Fire crews from Jamaica Plain and Egleston Square arrived and, knowing the danger of an oxygen tank explosion, stayed well back and watered down the burning ambulance, according to MacDonald.
The danger wasn't just from the possibility of explosion, but also from the intensification of the fire the addition of oxygen can cause.
"When an oxygen tank explodes, it puts pure oxygen into a fire," he said.
When the tank exploded, it sent the ambulance's light bar flying into a snow bank and caused shrapnel to scatter, mostly within the ambulance.
There is a photo of the exploded shell of the oxygen tank on the Fire Department's Twitter photo account.
The ambulance has been towed away.
[Editor's note: an earlier version had the oxygen canister explosion causing the fire. That is not the case. The canister exploded as a result of the fire.]
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Tristan Farnham
2:20 pm on Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Good coverage. Thanks for the news, any injuries?
Chris Helms
2:44 pm on Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Thanks, Tristan. I've updated the story. The 0nly potential injuries were to firefighters from the sound of the blast.
Chou
8:27 pm on Wednesday, February 2, 2011
We saw the entire event and the explosion shook our home. Relieved everyone escaped the vehicle safely and there was no patient transport.
Hope the two firemen checked out okay. They were all very close to the flaming ambulance when it exploded. Some of the other firemen were still trying to uncover the snow buried hydrant to hook up the firehoses when the oxygen tank blew.
The huge cloud of black smoke smelled utterly noxious.
Many thanks to those people that keep us safe and protected despite the risks or potential cost to their ultimate health.
Connie
11:59 pm on Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Nice, Chou. Always thinking about the firemen. I'd like to think the Paramedics were safe, too.
Chou
3:23 am on Thursday, February 3, 2011
Connie,
Perhaps you misunderstood the news story and also my post?
It was established that the Paramedics escaped safely and without injury from the ambulance when something in the vehicle initially caught fire, and prior to the explosion.
"Relieved everyone escaped the vehicle safely and there was no patient transport."
Two firemen were taken to the hospital for possible hearing damage resulting from the loud blast and their proximity to it.
It was scary and emotional to witness. Of course we were utterly relieved that the two Paramedics had exited the ambulance before it was engulfed in flames and prior to the subsequent blast. Seemed quite lucky that there weren't more injuries today. I do hope that the two Firemen checked out okay and won't suffer any permanent hearing loss.
Hope that clarifies my comments and sentiments for all involved, and all first responders.
Ashley
7:46 am on Thursday, February 3, 2011
I work for this company and now the crew very well. Both emts escaped safely. They were safely away from the truck prior to the explosion and warned the firefighters of the loaded oxygen tanks within the truck. Everyone is grateful that the fd was able to put the fire out prior to it reaching the large main oxygen tank.
Diane Smith
5:58 am on Friday, February 4, 2011
Dear Ashley,
I am sure your company is thrilled that you are handling the PR for this incident, however, you may want to consider being slightly more careful with the statements you make. For instance, suggesting that the "[EMTs] warned the firefighters of the oxygen tanks". I am very confident that Boston's finest were very aware of the fact that there were OXYGEN tanks on the AMBULANCE and thus, did not need this warning. With that said, I hope you have a great day!
SusieF
3:04 pm on Friday, February 4, 2011
what a grumpy bunch of comments in this section!! jeez. Diane jumps on Ashley, Connie jumps on Chou... can't we all just get along! The paramedics were OK thank God, and the firemen have some potential hearing damage. Connie seems to be dredging up some issues between EMS and fire in Boston. It's not like they are at war (although I know they don't get along too well but I thought that animosity was mostly between Boston firemen and Boston EMS - not Cataldo which these guys were.)
And Diane - for pete's sake give Ashley a break. Would you have been happier if the EMTs somehow neglected to inform the firemen that there were FULL oxygen tanks on board? Huh? would that be better, in your book? I'm just sayin'....
The sound was really loud, I heard it from about a mile away and thought it was just a block away - I headed out with my trusty shovel in case it was a roof collapsing.
If the Cataldo EMS guys HAD been in the truck when it went.... I don't want to think, and probably neither do they.