By EMS1 Staff
LANGFORD, British Columbia — A paramedic helped to avert a major disaster by swerving his ambulance out of the direct path of an oncoming train in British Columbia, Canada, Sunday evening.
The train clipped the back of the ambulance, causing minor damage to the vehicle, but neither the two paramedics inside or passengers on the train suffered any injuries.
The incident happened as the ambulance was responding to a call in Langford and approaching a railroad crossing while going up a slight incline, according to The Times Colonist.
The newspaper reported the angle put the sunlight directly into the eyes of the paramedic driving the ambulance and he was not able to see the warning signal for the train in operation.
It was only when he got to the crossing that she saw the oncoming train, and she swerved, putting the ambulance parallel to the tracks between a light pole and the train, according to the report.
The only damage caused to the ambulance was a broken window, a burst tire and scratched paintwork.
“This is one of those perfect storm situations where you have an ambulance crew with sirens activated so it precludes them from hearing warning sounds from the train,” Shawn Carby, BC Ambulance Service executive director, told A-News Vancouver Island.
“It’s a freak incident but well managed by the driver of the ambulance.”
Cst. Julie Chanin, of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, told the station, “Fortunately at the last minute (he) was able to see the train coming and although there was a collision it was minor in what could have happened and was able to avoid a more serious incident.”