THORSBY, Alta. — Two people are dead, including a paramedic who was the driver of an ambulance, following a collision southwest of Edmonton.
RCMP say members responded to a report of a collision between an ambulance and an older Buick Skylark on Highway 39 just west of Thorsby early Saturday.
Police say the driver and lone occupant of the Buick, a 27-year-old man from Edmonton, as well as the 51-year-old woman who was driving the ambulance, were both pronounced dead at the scene.
A male passenger in the ambulance suffered serious injuries and was transported to an Edmonton hospital.
Police say there were no patients on board the ambulance.
They say investigators believe the car was headed west on the highway when it crossed the centre line and collided with the eastbound ambulance, and that drugs or alcohol appear to have played a role.
The Health Sciences Association of Alberta, a union representing paramedics in the province, tweeted a message Saturday from its president, Mike Parker, stating "A tragic incident has resulted in the death of one of our paramedics and injured a second member."
"With a heavy heart I am reminded it is with the strength of colleagues that we must reach to each other for support," the tweet continued.
"Stay safe all."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 10, 2022.
The Canadian Press
