TWO people were seriously hurt and a third suffered minor injuries following a crash involving an ambulance on blue lights and a car.
Police, fire crews and paramedics were called to Barrack Road in Christchurch on Thursday evening.
Both vehicles were extensively damaged, with the South Central Ambulance Service vehicle also colliding with railings at a pedestrian crossing.
A passenger in the ambulance and the driver of the car both sustained serious injuries, while the driver of the ambulance suffered minor injuries.
Emergency services were called to the scene shortly after 8.30pm and the road remained closed for three hours.
Two people were taken to Poole hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
A Dorset Police spokeswoman said: “Dorset Police was called at 8.34pm on Thursday, June 3, to a report of a collision involving an ambulance and a car on Barrack Road at the junction with Stour Road in Christchurch.
“It was reported that the ambulance was on blue lights at the time of the collision.
“Officers attended with the fire and ambulance services. The local authority was also made aware due to damage caused to the traffic lights and railings.
“The driver of the ambulance sustained minor injuries and a passenger sustained serious injuries. The driver of the car sustained serious injuries.
“The road was closed to allow emergency services to deal with the incident. It reopened at around 11.35pm.”
Police confirmed the injured passenger was not a patient being treated and/or transported in the ambulance.
One fire engine from Christchurch attended the scene. The crew made the scene safe by stemming a fuel leak from the ambulance before returning to the station shortly after 9pm.
A spokeswoman for South Central Ambulance Service said: "I can confirm that we were contacted by our crew at 20:35 to advise of a collision involving another vehicle and themselves.
"We sent to the scene an ambulance crew and an ambulance officer supported by resources from South Western Ambulance Service. Two patients were taken to Poole General Hospital with non-life threatening injuries."
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