HE’S ON FIRE ... HE CAN’T BREATHE!
Partner’s pleas as burns victim waits 90 MINUTES for ambulance to arrive
THE family of a man who suffered horrific burns when he was trapped beneath a blazing car is demanding to know why it took an hour-and-a-half for an ambulance to arrive.
Classic car enthusiast Chris WilliamsEllis, 40, was working in a garage at his home when the vehicle burst into flames. His partner Catherine Stewart bravely pulled him clear before dialling 999.
A fire engine arrived after half an hour but the firemen were unable to treat Mr Williams-Ellis, who by then was ‘white and shaking’, Miss Stewart said. She had to make ‘several’ further emergency calls.
One of the fire crew had a number for the air ambulance and was able to arrange for a helicopter to be dispatched.
But Mr Williams-Ellis was left fighting for life in an induced coma and still faces a lengthy battle for health.
Now his family are demanding someone is held accountable at the Welsh Ambulance Service Trust, which has been repeatedly slammed for delays in attending to casualties.
The near-tragedy happened at the classic car restorer’s home near Corwen, Denbighshire, on September 8.
Miss Stewart told BBC Wales: ‘I asked for an ambulance and told them, “He’s on fire, he can’t breathe”, and that we needed a fire engine.
‘The fire engine arrived after 25 minutes but when I asked where the ambulance was they had not been told there was a casualty and they didn’t have the training to deal with burns victims.
‘Chris was lying there, very white and shaking. It was so stressful. I kept phoning 999 asking where the ambulance was. The firemen were ringing as well. It was only because one of the fireman happened to have the contact number for the Welsh Air Ambulance service and the helicopter arrived at the same time as the ambulance.’
Mr Williams-Ellis was taken to Whiston Hospital on Merseyside for skin grafts to burns on 45 per cent of his body. But he developed pneumonia and was transferred to Manchester’s Wythenshawe Hospital, where a machine took over his heart and lung functions.
After being given a 50-50 survival rate he is now in an induced coma, with his family fearing he will be unable to work again even if he pulls through.
His mother, Philomene, told the BBC: ‘I want justice for my son. The Welsh Ambulance Service left my son burning, cold, dehydrated and in agony for hours.
‘My son is only alive because a member of the fire crew rang the Wales Air Ambulance.
‘I have no faith in the ambulance service and I want the board to be held responsible so this never happens to any other family again.’ The family have launched an online appeal to pay for future treatment and replace his firedamaged tools, which has so far raised more than £3,000.
Coroners have repeatedly warned of the potentially tragic consequences of delays by the Welsh Ambulance Service.
Last year a coroner said it was ‘ likely’ that 12- year- old Ffion Jones would have survived had an ambulance arrived within the eight- minute target for lifethreatening emergencies after she collapsed at a GP surgery in Cardiff in 2016.
Instead it took an hour and Ffion – who suffered from Addison’s disease, a rare condition where the
‘In agony for hours’
adrenal glands in the kidneys stop functioning – could not be saved.
Also last year a farmer waited five hours for an ambulance to help his dying mother.
Tom Roderick, 56, had to watch his mother Valerie, 83, die ‘ in agony’ following a heart attack at the farm in Scurlage, on the Gower coastline of South Wales.
The trust said last night that its thoughts were with the family of Mr Williams-Ellis.
Chief executive Jason Killens said: ‘ Given the very serious nature of what happened, an investigation to determine the exact sequence of events and the cause of the unacceptable delay – for which we are very sorry – is being prioritised and concluded as swiftly as possible.’