Two paramedics and a technician were rushed to the hospital this morning after the ambulance they were in — which was racing to an emergency with lights and sirens on — rolled over.
The accident happened at about 9:15 a.m. on West Evans Avenue near South Lipan Street.
“I saw the ambulance sliding down the street on its side,” Misty Hamm said. “People were running left and right to help out.”
Hamm, who works nearby, said smoke and sparks flew from the ambulance as it slid down the street.
Alex Paez, a Denver Fire Department spokesman, said the ambulance was responding to an emergency call and was westbound on West Evans when it tried to pass a lumber truck.
The lumber truck was in a middle turn lane getting ready to make a left when the ambulance tried to pass on the truck’s left side using the left lane of oncoming, or eastbound, traffic.
“It’s not uncommon” for an ambulance to use an oncoming lane when responding to an emergency, Paez said. The ambulance and truck came into contact, and the ambulance slid onto its side.
The three people in the ambulance — two paramedics and an emergency medical technician — were injured and taken to Denver Health Medical Center. Their injuries were described as “not serious,” and their names were not released.
The truck driver, Karen Sherman, who works for Denver Lumber Co., said she never saw or heard the ambulance.
“I was pretty shocked,” she said of the accident.
Sherman, who injured her hand when the truck steering wheel was torqued, said she hoped the medical crew members were all right. She declined further comment.
Westbound Evans Avenue was shut between South Platte River Drive and South Lipan Street while Denver police investigators looked into the accident.
Police spokesman John White saw the ambulance lying on its side and shook his head.
“I think we are lucky here today,” White said. “We’re fortunate that it didn’t turn out worse.”
Kieran Nicholson: 303-954-1822 or knicholson@denverpost.com
