Narrow escape for mother and newborn as moving ambulance’s wheel nuts come off

Udala: A major accident was narrowly averted after the rear wheel of a 108 ambulance nearly detached while transporting a woman who had just given birth and her newborn child in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district.

The incident occurred near the Gaudiya Matha area in Udala on Sunday. According to reports, an ASHA worker had called a 108 ambulance to transport a pregnant woman from Nachhipur under Kaptipada police limits to a hospital after she went into labour. However, before the ambulance arrived, the woman delivered the baby at home.

After reaching the village, ambulance personnel shifted the mother and newborn into the vehicle and started towards Udala Sub-Divisional Hospital (SDH). While passing through the Gaudiya Matha area, the nuts of the ambulance’s rear wheel reportedly came loose, causing the tyre to partially detach from the vehicle.

Alertness on the part of the ambulance driver prevented a possible disaster. Noticing the problem in time, the driver immediately stopped the vehicle on the roadside, averting what could have been a serious accident.

The mother and newborn remained inside the stranded ambulance for more than 30 minutes before another ambulance was arranged. They were subsequently shifted to Udala SDH for further medical care.

The incident has raised concerns over the maintenance and roadworthiness of emergency response vehicles, especially those tasked with transporting critically ill patients and pregnant women. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and both the mother and newborn were safely transferred to the hospital.