Tim Nelson
Elizabeth Baier
Authorities are investigating the death of a 79-year-old woman who was struck by an ambulance in St. Paul on Saturday.
Margaret Adele Kuehn was hit by the ambulance as it was backing up in an alley behind the Walgreens at Randolph Ave. and Snelling Ave. on Saturday evening, police said.
The ambulance was responding to an accident in the pharmacy's parking lot, according to St. Paul Police Spokesman Paul Schnell.
"The driver of the ambulance...was backing the ambulance down toward the scene so that his other fellow crew members could have better access to their equipment," Schnell said.
Police believe Kuehn was unaware of the presence of the ambulance, and that the driver, a St. Paul firefighter, did not see her walk from between some garages into the alley, Schnell said.
Kuehn died at the scene.
Both the police and fire departments are investigating the accident.
"The police department will be conducting an investigation into the vehicle car crash, which would be standard," Schnell said. "The fire department will be doing an internal investigation looking at the review of safety procedures and protocol."
The ambulance was taken out of service for inspection, which is standard procedure for city vehicles involved in fatal crashes.