999 TOT DIES AFTER AMBULANCE CRASH; Paramedics in M-way tragedy.

Byline: By MAURICE FITZMAURICE

PARAMEDICS battling to revive a dying baby girl were left trau matised yesterday after their ambulance was involved in a smash.

The crew were carrying out CPR on the five-month-old as their vehicle approached a busy roundabout in Belfast yesterday morning.

The minibus-style vehicle was wrecked in the collision with a lorry.

Glass showered the two crew and left the driver's side of the vehicle gashed along its entire length.

Last night it was unclear when the baby died and a postmortem is to be carried out today to establish the cause of death.

John McPoland, a spokesman for the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, said the incident was "particularly harrowing" for the crew.

The child was picked up by the ambulance after it was flagged down on Kennedy Way in West Belfast.

Crew members were asked to help with a baby who had stopped breathing. After the smash a passing motorist picked up the paramedics and the child and drove them to the Royal Victoria Hospital.

Mr McPoland added: "A Northern Ireland Ambulance Service Intermediate Care Crew was this morning flagged down on Kennedy Way and asked to help with an infant who had stopped breathing.

"The crew took the child on board the ambulance and immediately commenced CPR.

"En route to the hospital the ambulance was involved in a collision with another vehicle and was unable to continue the journey.

"A passing motorist stopped to offer assistance and transported the ambulance staff and patient the short remaining distance to the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children.

"CPR was uninterrupted during this time and the child was transferred into the care of the medical staff at the hospital.

"The ambulance crew were subsequently treated for their injuries at the RVH A&E department."

Mr McPoland praised the driver who picked up the child and paramedic.

And he sent his condolences to the family of the child.

One of the paramedics hurt in the collision suffered head injuries which are not life-threatening.

SDLP councillor Tim Attwood expressed concern that the ongoing roadworks at the junction may have contributed to the crash.

He added: "Our sympathy is with the family of the baby who was caught up in the accident this morning.

"The SDLP is concerned that the roadworks at the Broadway roundabout are very confusing.

"It was only a matter of time before a serious accident occurred."

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CAPTION(S):

DESPERATE: Emergency personnel try to move the ambulance in Belfast yesterday; SMASHED: Interior of the crash ambulance