In a heartbreaking incident, a 75-year-old man, Dheeraj Ravidas, lost his life due to heat and suffocation when the government-operated ambulance transporting him to Patna for vital medical care unexpectedly ran out of fuel on a national highway.
Patna: The Jamui district administration has ordered an inquiry into the death of a 75-year-old man who allegedly died due to extreme heat and suffocation after the govt-run 102 ambulance carrying him ran out of fuel on a national highway on Thursday.The incident occurred when the victim, identified as Dheeraj Ravidas, was being taken from Jamui to Patna for advanced medical treatment. According to officials, the ambulance left Jamui around 1.11pm but broke down at around 1.40pm near Matasi village on the Sikandara–Sheikhpura national highway after exhausting its fuel.Family members alleged that the air-conditioning system stopped functioning once the vehicle ran out of fuel, leaving the patient stranded inside the ambulance in intense heat for over two hours.
They claimed Ravidas died due to suffocation and heat-related distress before any alternative arrangement could be made.“At present, an investigation is underway and action will be taken against those found guilty. Steps will also be taken to ensure such inhuman incidents are not repeated,” Jamui district magistrate Navin said.Speaking to TOI, the district magistrate said the incident pointed to a serious violation of standard operating procedures (SOPs). “If an ambulance is ferrying a patient to Patna, it must have adequate fuel. These aspects are being examined and responsibility will be fixed,” he said.As per the family’s account, Ravidas was initially taken to the Jamui sadar hospital after initial treatment at a primary health centre. Following a CT scan, he was referred to a higher medical facility in Patna for further treatment.
