A tragic accident occurred on Thursday, October 19, involving an ambulance and a truck on the PA-279 highway in Xinguara, located in southern Pará, Brazil. Edna Calixto, a nursing technician, was fatally injured in the incident, which left three other occupants of the ambulance wounded. The accident reportedly happened when the ambulance collided with the rear of a truck that was stationary on a curve without proper signaling, during the dark early morning hours. Despite being rushed to a healthcare unit, Calixto succumbed to her injuries shortly after the crash.

The ambulance, owned by the municipality of Bannach, was completely destroyed in the collision. At the time of the accident, the ambulance was in the process of transferring a patient to the Regional Hospital of Ourilândia do Norte. Initial reports suggest that the visibility conditions contributed to the collision, as the area was dark and the parked truck lacked adequate warning signs. First aid was administered by another passing ambulance, with additional support provided by SAMU teams from Água Azul do Norte and Xinguara, who were promptly called to the scene to assist in the emergency response.

This accident raises serious concerns about road safety in the region, particularly for emergency vehicles that are critical in saving lives. The lack of proper signage for stationary vehicles on highways can lead to devastating consequences, as illustrated by this tragic incident. Community members are now calling for improved safety measures to prevent similar accidents from occurring in the future, highlighting the need for better protocols for ambulances operating in potentially hazardous conditions.