NURSE KILLED BY CAR DURING POLICE CHASE
Mother mown down on walk home from work
A FAMILY spoke of their agony last night after a young mother was killed when she was hit by a car being chased by police.
Theatre nurse Jill Pirrie, 33, was mown down by a Ford Ka as she walked home from Edinburgh Royal Infirmary after her shift. She was returned to the same hospital in an ambulance but could not be saved.
Yesterday, Miss Pirrie’s family said they were shattered by the tragedy which had robbed a five-year-old boy of his mother.
They said: ‘No words can express this void that is left as a result of this tragedy.’
The silver Ford Ka – containing four teenagers – hit Miss Pirrie on Old Dalkeith Road, near Kingston Avenue, around 8pm on Thursday.
One of the teenagers was said to have been thrown through the windscreen. A second was badly hurt and found lying
on the road. The other two in the car were understood to have fled the scene. Police Scotland said last night that everyone had been traced in connection with the inquiry.
Hours earlier, Miss Pirrie had posed for photos to celebrate International Nurses Day with colleagues. Shortly after that, she had shared a joke on Facebook with family and friends.
But, as she walked home, her life was ended by a small car trying to evade the police car which was in pursuit, lights flashing, siren on.
In a statement, her family also said: ‘Jill was a loving mother, daughter, partner and friend who will be hugely missed by the many who knew and loved her. She was well known for her great sense of humour.’
Miss Pirrie’s colleagues, meanwhile, were also said to be devastated.
Jim Crombie, NHS Lothian’s chief officer of acute services, said: ‘Our thoughts and sympathies are with Jill’s family at this sad time.
‘Jill was a talented, well liked and respected member of our theatres team and her colleagues and friends are devastated. The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh is a close-knit community and this has sent shockwaves through the site.
‘We have been providing support to relatives and staff throughout the night and that will continue over the coming days and weeks.’
The incident has been reported to the Crown Office and the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner.
Police said the Ka had been signalled to stop by officers on Old Dalkeith Road. When it failed to do so the officers in the marked vehicle activated its blue lights and siren and gave chase.
Yesterday, Miss Pirrie’s bother Keith took to Facebook to share reports of the story. He wrote: ‘This is my sister that died. She was on her way home from work at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. She has a young son.’
Those living close to the tragedy scene described hearing the screech of brakes and a bang. Derek Clapperton told BBC Scotland: ‘I was in the back green last night painting my hut and doing my garden when I heard this big thud.
‘I went round the corner and down to the bottom of the road. There was a grey car. There were two boys lying outside the car and the lassie was next to a wee wall. The medics were trying to revive her, three of them. The two boys were lying on the ground both bleeding and the car was right against the wall, smashed up.’
A 61-year-old woman, who did not want to be named, said: ‘All we know is that police were going up here last night at about 8 o’clock. The next thing we heard was that it was four young lads in a Ford Ka they were chasing.
‘Neighbours nearby heard screeching brakes and came over to see what was happening. They told us that a young lad had gone through the windscreen, two of them had run away and one was lying on the road injured.
‘There was also a woman lying on the pavement.’
Miss Pirrie is thought to have lived in Edinburgh’s Craigmillar area. She was said to have bought the family home from her father and last month uploaded a photo showing her refurbishing the house. A former neighbour at Miss Pirrie’s previous home in Edinburgh’s Slateford said: ‘She was just such a lovely young girl and so friendly.’
The neighbour added: ‘To think that a young life could be taken away like that, in a split second, it’s tragic.’
Well-wishers took to social media to pay their respects. One wrote: ‘She was an innocent party in the wrong place at the wrong time.’
Police Scotland have appealed for anyone with information to come forward.
Chief Superintendent Kenny Macdonald, Edinburgh Divisional Commander, said: ‘Our sincere condolences are with the family and friends of the woman at this tragic time, and we will utilise all resources at our disposal to investigate this collision.’
‘Life taken away in split second’