Fire Destroys Ambulance Inside Ardmore EMS Station
By Jim Melwert, Al Novack, Jenn Bernstein
ARDMORE, Pa. (CBS) - Fire destroyed an ambulance and damaged several other emergency vehicles at an EMS station in Ardmore, early this morning.
Around 2 a.m., two crew members found themselves dealing with an emergency of their own when fire alarms sounded and they discovered an ambulance in their bay up in flames.
They made it out safely and fire units from surrounding communities knocked the fire out.
The fire started in the back of an ambulance inside Narberth Ambulance Station 313 on the 100-block of Sibley Avenue in Ardmore. Several other vehicles and the equipment garage were damaged by smoke.
Chief Chas McgGarvey, Sr. of Lower Merion Township Fire says,"It sent the sprinkler system off which contained it to that area and saved it from going any further."
But the damage was done. One ambulance was destroyed, the station, as well as several vehicles inside the bay, suffered significant water and smoke damage. Losses could total more than $500,000.
Chief Chris Flanagan of Narberth Ambulance explains,"An ambulance itself is around $190,000 just itself and the equipment in there goes to $80,000, the heart monitor is around $26,000 all of that was a total loss and that's just the one vehicle that was damaged."
The station will be out of service until further notice. Nearby municipalities, including Conshohocken, will provide ambulance service to the Ardmore area.
Flanagan says,"We want the community to know we are here for them and they will be able to provide service."
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
