Firefighters in Portsmouth were forced to drive a smoke-inhalation patient to hospital after an ambulance failed to arrive following a fire in a tower block.
Last night, just after 6pm, Hampshire Fire and Rescue responded to a fire on the 15th floor of Edgebaston House in Portsmouth. The fire started in the kitchen and put a 50-year-old man at serious risk from smoke inhalation.
Despite urgent calls for help, the South Central Ambulance Service did not send an ambulance even after an hour of waiting. Firefighters provided emergency oxygen therapy to the man at the scene to stabilise his condition.
Due to the critical delay, the officer in charge made the decision to load the patient into the fire engine and drive him directly to Queen Alexandra Hospital. The officer commented, “Given the current ambulance delays at QA, this shows just how badly the NHS is struggling.”
This incident highlights the increasing pressure on emergency services and the NHS, with firefighters stepping in to fill gaps when ambulances are unable to respond promptly. The patient received oxygen treatment on site, and the fire engine was used as a makeshift ambulance to save vital minutes in getting the man to hospital.
The event underscores the growing crisis in emergency response times and the strain on healthcare resources in the region.
Originally published by UKNIP.
