Patient dies, paramedic critically hurt after ambulance fire, possible explosion outside Hawaii hospital

HONOLULU (KHNL/Gray News) – One patient has died and a paramedic is critically injured after an ambulance apparently exploded in Kailua, EMS officials confirmed Wednesday night.

Officials said the incident happened around 9 p.m. outside Adventist Health Castle, KHNL reported.

According to a press conference held Wednesday night, EMS Director Jim Ireland said the ambulance caught on fire before entering the hospital. He added that the patient in the back of the ambulance died during the fire.

Ireland said one paramedic was taken to Straub Hospital in critical condition and another EMT was also treated for injuries in stable condition.

“It’s something we’ve never seen before,” said Ireland. “We want to thank the Honolulu Fire Department for their assistance tonight, our other EMS crews who came to the scene to help, as well as Castle Hospital that helped our crew.”

“We ask for everyone’s prayers and thoughts for the family of the patient that’s deceased and for the paramedic that’s been injured in the line of duty,” EMS Acting Chief Chris Sloman said. “It’s been a very difficult night.”

The cause of the fire remains unclear. An investigation is ongoing.

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