WATCH: An internal investigation is underway by BC Emergency Health Services after an ambulance collided with a train. Nadia Stewart reports.
RCMP say an 87-year-old woman has died after a collision between an ambulance and a train in Langley.
A family member says the elderly female patient was being transported between health care facilities for a routine procedure when the collision happened at about 11:30 a.m. Friday near 216 Street and Glover Road.
She has now been identified as Helena Theodora Van Gool of Langley.
She was airlifted to hospital where she later passed away.
The male paramedic in the rear of the ambulance was also airlifted from the scene and is currently in stable condition. The ambulance driver has been released from hospital. According to RCMP, she is suffering from some back pain, but is otherwise uninjured. No one on the train sustained any injuries.
“We are taking this incident very seriously and are launching an internal investigation as well as fully cooperating with the RCMP and any other agencies that are or will be investigating the incident,” said BC Emergency Health Services in a statement.
WATCH: Dramatic dashcam video from a Global viewer captures moment of impact as train hits ambulance in Langley
The cause of the collision remains under investigation but police did say the train was heading northbound as it crossed the intersection. The ambulance was en route to hospital when it was hit in the rear passenger side, causing the ambulance to spin around and the nose of the ambulance collided with the CN freight train on CP tracks.
“We actually don’t know what went we wrong. We have to make sure we co-operate fully with the authorities in investigating, and think it’s really premature to talk about what went wrong,” said Linda Lupini, executive vice president of BCEHS.
“We will look at all kinds of data…we will interview paramedics, interview witnesses, look at video.”
Anyone who witnessed the collision and has not yet spoken to police is asked to call Langley RCMP at 604-532-3200.
Lupini says they understand how it important it is to explain exactly what happened.
“It’s traumatic for everyone, and everyone wants answers, but no one wants answers more than the family. And we have to provide them.”
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