AN AMBULANCE crashed into a building in Middlewich during the early hours of Monday morning.

 

The collision caused traffic chaos in the town as one of the main routes through the town, Lewin Street, had to be closed due to the building being deemed as unsafe.

 

The ambulance crashed into the arch way of Longcross Court flats at around 12.30am when it tried to drive into the courtyard to attend to a resident.

 

The arch way partially collapsed onto the ambulance, which remained stuck underneath.

 

A spokesperson from North West Ambulance Service said: “At approximately 00.30 this morning, one of our ambulances was involved in an incident where it became jammed under an entrance to a property in Middlewich causing some structural damage.

 

“Both crew members were unhurt and a second response unit which was present at the time, was able to continue to attend the patient the vehicles had been sent to. There was no delay to our response to the patient.

 

“The Trust has launched an investigation to determine the cause of the incident.”

 

Residents were evacuated from the building and Lewin Street was closed by police throughout the night while work was done to secure the building.

 

The road closure caused huge traffic issues on Monday morning and was reopened at around 10.30am.

 

One Middlewich resident said he sympathises with the ambulance driver and described the archway at Longcross court as an ‘accident waiting to happen’.

 

Alan Langley said: “It has been an accident waiting to happen. My sympathy goes out to the ambulance driver involved and trust he will not be suspended due to the accident occurring when it was dark.

 

“My dad used to be in the Fire Service and was often met with buildings being unnumbered or no street name plates erected.

 

“Following construction of these flats  I did speak to someone in the planning office years ago advising them that the enclosed roadway on site rose to the rear of the site causing problems to delivery vehicles not being able to clear the archway.”