Two Tacoma Fire medic units were involved in separate crashes during a 15-hour window this week. In both cases, the ambulances were carrying critical-care patients. Both crashes were under investigation.

The first crash occurred just after 2 p.m. Wednesday at the intersection of Ernest S. Brazill Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Way.

The medic unit was transporting a critical patient with its lights and sirens on and had the green light at the intersection, Tacoma police reported.

Another vehicle was northbound on Martin Luther King Jr. Way and went through the red light, police reported. The medic unit hit the vehicle and sent it into a nearby telephone pole, police said.

The paramedic and driver were taken to St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma for treatment of minor injuries. The critical patient was put into another ambulance and taken to the hospital, Tacoma police reported.

The second crash occurred just after 5 a.m. Thursday. The ambulance was taking its patient to a hospital and headed eastbound on South 56th Street. It had a red light and went into the intersection, police reported. A pickup truck was headed south on South Oakes Street and had the green light. The medic unit hit the rear end of the pickup truck. The truck overturned, police reported. The truck driver suffered minor injuries. The ambulance continued to the hospital with its patient, police reported.

Stacey Mulick, The News Tribune