By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

At least 12 emergency responders involved in the rescue following a road crash in Bacolod City earlier this week had been placed on quarantine.

It was revealed that the involved ambulance was carrying a COVID-positive patient.

Bacolod City Administrator Em Ang, who also heads the city’s Emergency Operations Center, said four rescue workers from the Bacolod City Bureau of Fire Protection, four from EMR Raptor, and four from the Chamber Volunteer Fire Brigade (CVFB) underwent swab tests and are currently waiting for their test results.

Two CVFB responders were also noted to have entered the ambulance in order to rescue the trapped COVID-positive patient and two other passengers.

CVFB chief Bryant Lao believes the rescue workers should have not been swabbed immediately by the city government, pointing out it should have been done later as they may develop the COVID-19 symptoms at a later time.

Earlier on Wednesday, three vehicles – ambulance, Mitsubishi Montero and van – were involved in an accident along Lacson-San Sebastian Streets in Bacolod City.

Ambulance driver Jessie James Tranilla died while four other people were injured.

Police Station 1 investigation revealed that the ambulance was travelling from south to Lacson Street when it was accidentally hit by a Mitsubishi Montero driven by 21-year-old Kenny J Arillo of the city’s Barangay Alijis.

Tranilla lost control of the ambulance and it hit the JMC van./DGB, WDJ