Airoli resident on ventilator killed in freak accident

The ambulance likely developed a short circuit and suddenly caught fire, according to police officials in Raigad

Mumbai: A 79-year-old woman on ventilator who was being taken to Gulbarga in Karnataka in an ambulance was killed in a freak mishap on Tuesday. The ambulance likely developed a short circuit and suddenly caught fire, according to police officials in Raigad.

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Police sources said the ambulance carrying Lilabai Bhagwan Kalwadar, an Airoli resident, was parked at Bhorghat beside the Mumbai-Pune Expressway as there was some technical fault. Suddenly, it developed a short circuit and caught fire, forcing the patient, a lady doctor, five relatives and the driver to disembark from the vehicle. While the ambulance was charred, Kawaldar’s condition worsened being taken off the ventilator. She died before the rescue team could take her to the hospital, said police.

The incident occurred near HOC bridge, and the ambulance slid down the slope of the ghat in the reverse direction after it caught fire, hitting the two-wheeler of a Khopoli police staffer parked 50 feet away. The two-wheeler was also charred, said police.

The oxygen cylinder in the ambulance also exploded due to the fire but did not cause any casualties. Assistant police inspector Yogesh Bhosale from traffic police, personnel from Khopoli police station, police inspector Sheetal Raut, assistant police inspector Haresh Kalsekar, IRB’s patrolling team and Force Maharashtra personnel were engaged in the rescue operation.