The patient, who had just left a dialysis center, was being driven home in an ambulance when the driver suddenly lost control and smashed into a building. Shortly after the crash, the ambulance caught fire.
Firefighters arrived on the scene, extinguishing the blaze and extracting the men from the ambulance.
James Wesley, the driver who was the only man identified by name, and his coworker were sent to Maywood, Ill.-based Loyola Hospital, and the patient was sent to Elmhurst (Ill.) Hospital. The patient was pronounced dead upon arrival at Elmhurst Hospital. The driver was pronounced dead upon arrival at Loyola Hospital. The ambulance attendant was in critical condition for hours after the crash and died April 1.
Bellwood Mayor Andre Harvey told the Chicago Tribune local detectives are “aggressively” investigating the incident. An autopsy will be conducted to determine if the driver was suffering from a medical emergency at the time of the crash.
More articles on patient flow:
Bomb threat forces South Carolina hospital to evacuate 46 patients
Chemical spill at Illinois medical center prompts hospitalization of 15 employees, patients
Michigan health clinic to end dialysis services
