18-Year-Old Man Fatally Struck by a Vehicle After Exiting Ambulance on Highway

An 18-year-old man was fatally hit by a vehicle after getting out of an ambulance on a highway in England.

The incident occurred on the M5 in North Somerset at around 11:04 p.m. local time on Sunday, Nov. 30, the Avon and Somerset Police said in a news release. The man had exited an ambulance that stopped to provide further treatment on the northbound carriageway between Weston-super-Mare and Clevedon while taking him to the hospital.

Authorities received reports that the man, who has not been publicly named, was on the highway. An off-duty officer then tried to assist in getting the patient off the road, but he was soon hit by a car traveling southbound.

Despite medical efforts to save him, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

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The family of the victim has been informed and are being supported by a specially trained liaison officer, according to the news release.

“Our thoughts are with the man’s family at such a devastating time. We will support them in any way we can,” Assistant Chief Constable Joanne Hall said in a statement. “This incident has had a significant effect on our officers and ambulance crews who are understandably incredibly upset by what happened.”

Hall added, “As well as providing support to the man’s family, we are also making sure that the appropriate welfare arrangements are in place for our staff and also for those members of the public who were either directly involved or who witnessed the incident.”

Jane Whichello from the South Western Ambulance Service also expressed their condolences.

“We would like to offer our sincere condolences to the family and friends of the man involved in this incredibly sad incident,” Whichello said, per the BBC. “Alongside police colleagues, our crews put their own safety at risk to help the patient and reduce the risk of harm to passing motorists, and I would like to thank them for their efforts.”

“Our thoughts are also with the driver of the vehicle involved in the collision,” she added.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is investigating the incident.

The M5 reopened on Monday morning after it was closed to help emergency services responding to the incident.

The South Western Ambulance Service did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.