Police confirm fire truck ran over girl
Cause of death is yet to be determined
San Jose Mercury News
SAN FRANCISCO — San Francisco Police Chief Greg Suhr on Friday confirmed weeklong fears that a fire truck ran over one of the 16-year-old girls who died after Asiana Airlines Flight 214 crash-landed at San Francisco International Aiport, though whether that killed her remains to be seen.
Suhr said the victim, identified by the San Mateo County Coroner’s Office as Ye Mengyuan of China, was found covered in fire-retardant foam. He declined to comment further, and he stressed that the girl’s cause of death is still being determined by the coroner.
The San Francisco Fire Department, which oversees firefighting and rescue operations for the airport, said it would hold off on a response to the police finding until it’s clear how the victim died.
“Out of respect for the family and everyone involved, the Fire De- partment is awaiting the results of the coroner’s report so we can provide a complete and factual statement,” Lt. Mindy Talmadge, SFFD spokeswoman, said in an email.
Suspicions arose soon after the crash that one of the girls might have been struck by a rescue vehicle, especially after aerial photographs of the wreckage showed a body in the trail of one of the trucks.
During a Monday press conference, the fire department said it quickly was made aware of the possibility and that it was cooperating with a multiagency investigation that included the NTSB and SFPD, which dispatched its hit-and-run investigation unit to the case. Department officials declined further comment at that time.
Also Friday, a girl who was injured in the crash died. The death toll is now three.
San Francisco General Hospital said she had been in critical condition since arriving Saturday after the accident. They provided no additional information.
“Her parents have asked that we reveal no further information at this time,” the hospital said in a statement. “We will respect their wishes while they grieve.”
The crash sent 182 people to area hospitals.
San Francisco General Hospital, which treated 67 patients, said Friday afternoon that six people were still hospitalized, including two adults in critical condition. Stanford Hospital, which saw 55 people, said Friday its final patient was in serious condition.