“All accidents are stupid, but this one is stupider than most” said a shocked friend of the family after an 86-year-old woman was mown down by an ambulance as she made her way carefully over a pedestrian crossing for an appointment with her physiotherapist.
Maria de Lurdes had only recently gone through hip-replacement surgery.
Her son is understood to have dropped her close to the Casualty department of S. Joao de Madeira hospital in Santa Maria da Feira as he went off to park the car.
His mother prepared to enter the hospital and appears to have been hit by the ambulance as it “went into reverse” in order to park.
A rapid-response team was on the spot and managed to “reanimate” the injured woman.
Said a hospital spokesman: “We provided all the medical care possible but sadly the victim died some hours later. We are giving the family and devastated ambulance driver psychological help”.
PSP police are described as investigating.
natasha.donn@algarveresident.com
