Support The Moscow Times!

Russian Official Orders Enquiry After Hearse Arrives for Pensioner who Called Ambulance

Wikicommons / modified by MT

The governor of Russia's central region of Saratov has called for an inquiry after a hearse arrived at the home of a 92-year-old woman instead of an ambulance.

The woman's grandson rang for an ambulance when she lost consciousness and collapsed, the RIA Novosti news agency reported Monday. He told the operator his grandmother's age and details of her condition.

In the hour it took medics to arrive, a hearse from a local funeral home appeared outside the woman's house, local media reported. Her grandson also complained of a number of unsolicited phone calls from strangers asking about his grandmother's health.

Regional prosecutors are now investigating whether personal information is being leaked from inside the ambulance service.

"Governor Valeriy Radaev has instructed his deputy, Ivan Kuzmin, to undertake a detailed analysis of the incident and transfer any relevant information to law enforcement," the Saratov regional government said in a statement.

Read more