By Laura French
Update Jan. 6, 2021: Officials say that the patient who was inside an American Medical Response ambulance that burst into flames in Federal Way, Wash. has been arrested and charged with third-degree assault.
Federal Way Police Commander Kurt Schwan said the AMR crew was transporting a man who was experiencing a mental health crisis on Jan. 2 when the man allegedly attacked the crew, the Federal Way Mirror reports.
The crewmembers sustained minor injuries in the assault and fled from the rig, Schwan said. The patient then allegedly damaged the ambulance interior before fleeing on foot. King County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Tim Meyer said investigators believe the patient’s actions are what caused the fire to start, but that there was no intentional act of arson. The exact cause of the fire is unknown.
Federal Way police officers managed to locate the man and arrest him on third-degree assault charges. The fire was extinguished by South King Fire and Rescue firefighters.
Original report:
FEDERAL WAY, Wash. — A Washington ambulance was destroyed in a fire on Saturday morning.
The American Medical Response ambulance caught fire in Federal Way with two AMR employees and a patient inside, according to KIRO 7.
The occupants escaped the rig and South King firefighters responded to the scene. The fire was extinguished at about 3 a.m. Saturday, officials said.
One EMS provider was taken to the hospital for evaluation and has since been released.
Investigators are working to determine what caused the blaze.
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