Baby nearly dies after Calais migrants block road leaving ambulance trapped in tear gas
CALAIS Jungle migrants who set up a road block with a human chain put a newborn baby in a life-threatening situation when its ambulance became stuck in traffic clouded by tear gas.
Baby nearly dies after Calais migrants block road leaving ambulance trapped
The sick baby, who was born in a hospital in Dunkirk, 23 miles east of the Calais Jungle refugee camp, was being moved to a neonatal unit in Calais for emergency care on Tuesday night.
But despite the wail of ambulance sirens and flashing lights, the knot of migrants – who had gathered to cause traffic chaos in another chaotic effort to force their way into UK-bound lorries – did not budge.
The chaos continued when a lorry even reversed into the ambulance as it tried to stop migrants climbing into its load.
French police at Calais migrant camp
The owner of the ambulance company, Dominique Evrard, told the French daily Le Nord Littoral the medical staff did what they could to save the baby’s life.
Emergency workers really thought that something would happen to the baby
The four emergency workers – a doctor, a nurse, and two ambulance drivers – were forced to close the vehicle’s ventilation flaps in a bid to stop the tear gas-laden air seeping into the vehicle and putting the baby’s life in even more danger.
Mr Evrad said: “The emergency workers really thought that something would happen to the baby, especially after they got hit by the lorry.”
Thankfully the ambulance crew managed to push through the traffic and get the baby to hospital on time.
Migrants from the jungle camp rushed the fence surrounding the motorway
France vows to close Calais migrant camp
But Mr Evrard told Le Nord Littoral he was still in shock, and that things could have gone a lot worse.
He added: “I am going to write the mayor of Calais, Natacha Bouchart, a letter. What happened the other night is unacceptable. Emergency workers cannot afford to get caught up in traffic chaos caused by migrants.”
Migrants in Calais regularly set up road blocks with tree branches or other debris to slow traffic down, making it easier to try and jump on board lorries.
Jungle migrant camp in Calais
They are becoming increasingly desperate as France threatens to demolish the Jungle before Christmas.
On Saturday, police had to use a water cannon and tear gas, as well as rubber bullets to drive away a crowd of migrants protesting at the edge of the French makeshift ‘Jungle’ camp in a clash lasting for several hours.
A French interpreter working on a television programme was raped after a gang of migrants attacked and robbed her at knife-point earlier this week.