WASHINGTON - Quick-thinking firefighters are credited with saving residents from potential disaster after a man suspected of being high on PCP allegedly hijacked a D.C. ambulance.

It began just after 10 p.m. Monday night in the 5200 block of Clay Street NE. A 911 a call for an unconscious man brings a firefighter/EMT crew with Ambulance 30 to the scene.

Authorities say the crew got the man in the ambulance, suspecting he has overdosed on PCP. The first responders radioed officials, saying at the time the patient was calm and agreeable.

But as they are transporting the patient, one of the crew members radios that the patient is out of control and combative, officials said.

We're told he took off all of his clothes, assaulted both firefighters and then managed to crawl through the ambulance to the front seat and hijack the vehicle.

Back at the station, firefighters with Engine 30 hear the distress calls and move into action. They get to the area within minutes and are able to block the runaway ambulance. The patient crashed the ambulance into the side of the fire truck. He was taken into custody and another ambulance was called to take him to the hospital.

On Tuesday, D.C. Fire Chief Dennis Rubin called them "tremendously brave firefighters."

"We appreciate the efforts by the crew on Engine 30 last night," Rubin continued. "I think, without a doubt, they protected lives; they limited property damage. A gentleman in this condition taking control of one of our ambulances could have been just sheer disaster and pandemonium for our city."

No one was seriously hurt. But both firefighters had minor bruises from the hand-to-hand combat

The ambulance did sustain quite a bit of damage, according to authorities. It is now out of service. 

It's unclear if the patient was charged. His name has not been released.

 Email To Friend