PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. -An emergency medical technician/ambulance driver and a materials management assistant employed by Pinellas County’s ambulance service were attempting to suppress a fire in an ambulance at headquarters at on Sunday, May 13, and suffered smoke inhalation. Both men were taken by ambulance to Largo Medical Center and were reported to be doing well. They were preparing the ambulance for service when smoke was spotted coming from the oxygen cylinder area at 9:45 a.m., flames broke out a few minutes later.
Their attempts to put out the fire with extinguishers failed. The building was evacuated. Firefighters from Largo and Seminole extinguished the fire, which caused $35,000 damage to the ambulance. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Full story: http://www.tampatrib.com/FloridaMetro/MGA7BOPLPMC.html
(Source: Lynn Porter, Tampa Tribune, May 14, 2001.