Fourth ambulance breakdown leads to investigation

A SECOND team of Mercedes-Benz engineers has been sent to Ireland to investigate the latest incident in which a Health Service Executive ambulance developed engine problems.

It is understood the driver of the ambulance taking a patient to Dublin had to stop less than an hour after leaving Cork University Hospital on Wednesday evening. The ambulance was just outside of Cahir, Co Tipperary, when the crew noticed an unusual odour coming from the engine compartment, but there was no fire.

Another ambulance from Tipperary General Hospital took the patient to Dublin.

The incident is the fourth in the past two months involving the same type of Mercedes-Benz ambulance.

In the other incidences, the vehicles went on fire but there were no injuries.

A spokesperson for Mercedes-Benz said a second team of engineers from Germany had travelled to Ireland to establish the cause of the latest incidence.

The ambulance was taken to Dublin to be examined by the German engineers and an independent forensic engineer for the HSE.

The spokesperson for Mercedes-Benz said modifications had been made to the ambulance fleet and the risk of “further breakdowns” had been removed.

There are believed to be almost 150 similar ambulances in service in Ireland and the fleet covers 18 million kilometres each year.

The most recent fire occurred almost two weeks ago near Drogheda, Co Louth, as an ambulance was returning to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital. The crew escaped uninjured.

Last month, an ambulance caught fire at the K Club in Co Kildare and the first incident happened last year in Portlaoise.

It is believed the possible fault only involves Mercedes-Benz Sprinter models built in 2006. Three incidences involving similar ambulances in Wales occurred in a two-week period last August, with minor modifications resolving the issue.

Mercedes-Benz advised the Welsh health authority there was no need to take the remaining fleet out of service while the matter was being resolved.

A HSE spokesperson said it treated this matter with extreme urgency and had appointed an independent forensic engineer after the first incident arose. “Together with representatives from the vehicle manufacturers, we carried out a full inspection of the relevant fleet and carried out modifications as recommended by the manufacturer.”

She said they have been assured by the manufacturer that the action taken addressed the risk of fire.