Thursday, 4:30 PM
Mayor calls for inquiry into ambulance death
By Brian R. Ballou, Globe Staff
Mayor Thomas M. Menino said today that he is asking Boston EMS to investigate the case of a 64-year-old Stoughton man, who died Wednesday on the way to the hospital despite a State Police escort through detours caused by the Big Dig tunnel closings.
Menino said he also asked a transportation committee, formed after the July 10 fatal ceiling collapse in the Interstate 90 connector tunnel, to look into ways to prevent a reoccurrence. The mayor said he wants the inquiries done in days, not weeks, because public safety is at stake.
Menino, however, noted that it's not clear that traffic delays contributed to the man's death. Jim Hooley, superintendent in chief of Boston EMS, has said the man was gravely ill as soon as EMS responded.
The man, apparently in cardiac arrest, collapsed in the limousine lot next to Terminal A shortly before 4 p.m. Wednesday. The first ambulance arrived at 4 p.m., and the man arrived at Boston Medical Center at 4:50.
