Patient dead, paramedic in critical condition after possible ambulance explosion

A patient has died and a paramedic is in critical condition after an ambulance possibly exploded at Adventist Health Castle in Kailua tonight.

The patient was riding in the back of the ambulance. One of the two Honolulu Emergency Medical Services paramedics inside the vehicle was not hurt in the accident.

“We had an ambulance tonight, for reasons we don’t understand, catch on fire — possibly explode — prior to entering the hospital,” said EMS Director Jim Ireland at a news conference.

He said that the Honolulu Fire Department is investigating the cause of the accident.

“This is something I’ve never seen before,” Ireland said. “This is a very, very difficult night for us.”