Child fatally struck by Maine ambulance

The Van Buren ambulance was not responding to an emergency, and investigators said speed was not a factor in the crash

September 01, 2025 08:00 AM

By Morgan Womack
Portland Press Herald

VAN BUREN, Maine — An 8-year-old girl was hit and killed by an ambulance in Van Buren on Wednesday afternoon, according to police.

The girl, who police identified as Emma Cormier, was attempting to cross Main Street near Kennedy Terrace when an ambulance, traveling north, hit her, according to Maine State Police. Ambulance personnel in the vehicle tried to render aid but the child, who lived nearby, died at the scene, state police said in a news release Thursday.

Maine State Police are investigating the crash.

The vehicle from the Van Buren Ambulance Service was not responding to an emergency call, according to police. The speed limit in the area is 25 mph and “speed is not a factor” in the crash, Maine State Police spokesperson Shannon Moss said in an emailed statement.

The director of the ambulance service could not be immediately reached for comment Thursday.

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