DC ambulance runs out of gas while on White House run, taken out of service

August 13, 2013 at 6:30PM

WASHINGTON — The D.C. fire department says an ambulance was taken out of service while on a run to the White House because it ran out of gas.

The Washington Times reports (http://bit.ly/1cvEdJm) that the ambulance was left behind on the South Lawn when a motorcade left Thursday.

D.C. fire department spokesman Tim Wilson told The Associated Press on Tuesday that the investigation is not complete, but so far it appears that no previous fuel gauge problems were reported and the ambulance ran out of gas because department members did not refuel it.

Wilson says another unit was dispatched, but it's not clear whether it made it in time to participate in any motorcade.

Traditionally, an ambulance dubbed "Medic 1" responds to executive mansion emergency calls and travels with the presidential motorcade.

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