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Fire destroys ambulances used by NYC’s Central Park volunteer EMS

Two of the three vehicles were totaled in a parking garage fire, and the volunteer unit hopes to replace them

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Image Central Park Medical Unit

NEW YORK — A volunteer ambulance squad that covers Central Park is looking for support after a fire destroyed two of its three vehicles.

The Central Park Medical Unit responds to about 1,000 emergencies a year in the park, mostly on weekends and events such as the Thanksgiving Day Parade, ABC7 reports.

The fire damaged dozens of vehicles in a five-story parking garage Thursday. There were no injuries, but the ambulances, were totaled. The ambulances are shorter in size than standard emergency vehicles, President Rafael Castellanos said. He estimates they were worth between $150,000 and $200,000, including the vehicle and equipment.

The service of 150 volunteers relies mostly on private donations, and a fund has been set up at CPMU.com.

“We will be back on our feet as soon as humanly possible,” Castellanos said.