Bhubaneswar, Apr 7: A major accident was narrowly averted late last night when an ambulance carrying a snakebite patient caught fire near Pipili in Odisha’s Puri district.
As per reports, the mishap occurred at around 11:15 pm near the popular Selfie Point area in Pipili when the snakebite patient was being taken from Delang in Puri to a private hospital in Bhubaneswar for treatment.
On the way, smoke and flames started coming from the moving ambulance all of sudden, creating panic on the road. The medical staff and driver acted quickly and safely got the patient and themselves out of the vehicle. Fortunately, no one was injured in the incident.
According to eyewitnesses, the fire spread quickly, but firefighters, upon getting the information, reached the spot and doused the flames. Despite the chaotic situation, the patient was quickly shifted to another ambulance and admitted to the hospital for treatment.
Though the exact reason behind the fire is yet to be ascertained, prima facie suggest that a short circuit in the ambulance’s battery might have caused the fire.
A detailed investigation into the matter is underway and the ambulance has been taken for inspection to find the exact cause, said the police.
