Chinese hospital patient forced to call ambulance … after crashing in fake ambulance

A fake ambulance collided with a car in eastern China, forcing relatives of the patient to call for a real emergency vehicle to continue his journey to hospital, a newspaper reported.

The family of a 56-year-old man had tried to book a real ambulance to take him from a hospital in Hangzhou to another in Fuyang for a medical examination, the Qianjiang Evening News reported.

Due to a shortage of ambulances in the city he was unable to secure one and a member of staff at the hospital recommended an unauthorised vehicle to make the trip.

“It was a black Buick, but once you opened the back it contained a stretcher, oxygen bags, first aid kits, blood pressure readers and more,” the son was quoted as saying. “We were relieved to see this, so we lifted my father into the car and prepared to return to a local hospital in Fuyang.”

On the way, the fake ambulance ran into the back of a car in front, the report said.

There were no injuries, but the son and his father were forced to ring for a real emergency vehicle to continue the trip.