A video shows the shocking moment an ambulance exploded into a fireball, just after dropping off an elderly patient at her home.
David and Marilyn Brinklow were enjoying a cup of tea when they heard a loud bang and saw their front garden engulfed in flames.
Just minutes before, a private ambulance had dropped off their 91-year-old neighbour, who uses a wheelchair, after she had been in hospital.
The footage shows two carers wheeling the woman to her home in Barton-under-Needwood, Staffordshire, at about 1.45pm on March 14.
The video also shows one of the carers checking the ambulance after a passerby noticed smoke coming from the engine and warned them.
Just minutes later, the vehicle exploded with such force that the roof of the ambulance was torn off and flew 50ft into the air, crashing through David and Marilyn’s garage.
Firefighters rushed to the scene and managed to put out the flames before they could spread to other houses.
Amazingly, no one was hurt in the explosion, which caused a lot of damage to the couple’s house and set their garden on fire.
The heat was so intense that it melted the back of their Honda Civic, shattered their living room windows and singed their curtains.
Marilyn, 74, said: “It was like a Hollywood movie. I suffer with my nerves and it didn’t do me any good.
“I keep having flashbacks. There was nothing left of the ambulance and all the bits of it like a volcano were flying off like glass and started burning our nets.
“It’s horrible to talk about.”
Retired carpenter David, 69, said the house suffered smoke damage and the electricity was cut off to the garage.
He said: “It went off like a roman candle. I was shocked – it was like a horror show.
“It’s incredible no one was killed. Our neighbour was in the ambulance a short time before it exploded.
“The heat was so bad the back of our car literally melted. We just want the insurance company to hurry up so we can repair our home.”
The private ambulance company EMED, which provides patient transport, said they were investigating the cause of the explosion.
A spokesperson said: “On Thursday March 14 2024, during a routine patient drop-off in Barton Under Needwood, the engine of our ambulance caught fire.
“Unfortunately, some of the neighbouring properties suffered damage, which we are now managing through our insurer.
“All our ambulances undergo robust safety checks on a regular basis and our absolute priority is the safety of our patients and the communities we serve.
“We are working closely with the vehicle manufacturer and an independent safety consultant as part of our ongoing internal investigation.”
