By By Adrienne McKenzie
An Atmore Ambulance caught fire Wednesday afternoon as EMT Frank Jay was driving it down Hwy. 21 on the way to pick up a patient for a routine transfer.
Jay pulled the ambulance over in front of Lee Collision Center. EMT Daniel White was also in the vehicle. The two Atmore Ambulance employees attempted to put the fire out, but the hood was too hot for them to open so they began working on saving the ambulance’s equipment.
According to Jay, the cause of the fire is still unknown.
Jay said the vehicle was checked two weeks ago and received top scores.
The ambulance, including everything and everyone riding in it, was insured, according to Jay.
But, Jay said Atmore Ambulance will run as usual.
Jay said the situation would have been much worse if there had been a patient in the truck.
But because there was no patient in the vehicle, after Jay pulled over he felt it was OK to go back in and get the equipment. Jay and White got a majority of the equipment out of the scorched ambulance. Jay said he was glad the equipment was saved and was glad neither himself or White were injured in the process of evacuating the ambulance equipment.