SFO crash survivor was run over by two fire rigs

[alp227]

Source: San Francisco Chronicle

A teenage survivor of the Asiana Airlines crash at San Francisco International Airport was run over by not one but two Fire Department rigs after firefighters mistakenly concluded she was dead without checking her vital signs, according to findings of a federal investigation released Wednesday.

The Fire Department had already admitted that one foam-spraying rig ran over 16-year-old Ye Meng Yuan of China as it took part in firefighting efforts after the July 6 crash, in what Chief Joanne Hayes-White has called "a tragic accident."

But documents released Wednesday show that a second rig involved in the response also ran over Ye. That rig's spotter had seen the girl on the ground in the fetal position and directed the driver around her as she lay near the burning Boeing 777's left wing.

The spotter then went to help at the crash site. Fourteen minutes later, that rig was the first to strike the victim, who by then was covered with flame-retardant foam, according to summaries of firefighter interviews released by the National Transportation Safety Board.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/SFO-crash-survivor-was-run-over-by-two-fire-rigs-5055771.php

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The Chronicle also has this article: Asiana pilot found landing 'very stressful'

[weissmam]

1. My Kid

If that was my kid the law suit would have three commas in it

[AtheistCrusader]

3. And if I was on the jury, I'd send you packing.

[Ace Acme]

7. I see you're the kind that delivers the verdict before you've even seen any evidence. nt

[AtheistCrusader]

8. Helmet cams and other info are already public domain.

It was a terrible accident. Shit happens when you go from a cold start to racing to save three hundred people from a burning plane.

You learn from it and move on. 'three comma decimal place' lawsuit bluster isn't a helpful idea.

[Jesus Malverde]

6. Whats that mean?

And welcome to DU.

[RKP5637]

2. Another of my endless daily WTF's. n/t

[SoapBox]

4. ...so sad.

[Jesus Malverde]

5. Terrible..nt

[VWolf]

9. I don't get it

They're saying that if she were already dead, then it would have been ok to run her over? Twice?

[Puzzledtraveller]

10. I was a firefighter in USAF

Crash rescue. I do not know about this particular crash scene but from my experience and training it is possible that something like this could happen however horrible it is. You get tunnel vision, visibility can be greatly diminished from smoke, debris is often indistinguishable. In suppression efforts foam can often obscure or completely hide victims debris and even rescue personnel. I can't imagine what it would be like to be involved in this for the family and the rescue personnel.