By Jerry Lawton
Daily Star
CUMBRIA, England — Paramedics were ordered to stay away from gunman Derrick Bird’s victims because of health and safety rules.
One crew took more than eight hours to attend the crazed cabbie’s 10th fatality, Isaac Dixon, 65.
And ambulances for victims with life-threatening injuries took nearly two hours to arrive, an inquest heard yesterday.
Paramedics in 13 ambulances, three helicopters and four rapid response vehicles were ordered to stay at “safe locations” across Cumbria despite a stream of 999 calls begging for help.
North West Ambulance chief Peter Mulcahy told the inquest in Workington the service could have been charged with corporate manslaughter if any staff been shot.
Staff are banned from emergencies until police confirm that the scene is safe.
But Mr Mulcahy said bosses struggled to get in touch with police chiefs because mobile phone networks kept crashing, the court heard.
The inquest continues.
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