The streets of Little Havana saw a truly heartbreaking and shocking scene early Friday morning when an 11-year-old girl, simply walking to school, was struck by the very vehicle dedicated to saving lives. The departmental crash, involving a Miami Fire Rescue ambulance, has left the community reeling and authorities scrambling to piece together the events that led to a child sustaining severe traumatic injuries. It’s a tragic irony that the sound of sirens, usually a call for help, now marks the location of a serious accident near a bustling school campus.
The devastating incident unfolded around 542 NW 12th Avenue, right in the heart of the neighborhood, mere blocks from LoanDepot Park and practically on the doorstep of SLAM Miami Charter School. The time was a chaotic rush hour, just before 6 a.m., when the ambulance—identified as Rescue 4—was speeding through the area. Crucially, the emergency vehicle wasn’t just on its way to a call; it was already transporting a patient to the hospital, its emergency lights flashing a warning to everyone else on the road.
The victim, a student at SLAM Miami, was doing what countless other kids do every school day: crossing the street. Several witnesses at the scene told reporters the young girl was in a marked crosswalk when the ambulance approached the intersection. They claim the rescue vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed while responding to the high-priority run, and it was this speed that prevented it from stopping in time, slamming into the child and instantly turning a routine morning commute into a nightmarish scene.
However, as is often the case in fast-moving accidents, the details are already conflicting. Miami Fire Rescue officials have offered a contrasting account, suggesting the blame might not lie solely with the speed of the vehicle. Lieutenant Pete Sanchez from Miami Fire Rescue stated that the girl “unexpectedly stepped out between standstill traffic,” implying a sudden move that the crew couldn’t possibly anticipate or avoid. This crucial difference in accounts—was the ambulance speeding and at fault, or did the girl walk out unexpectedly—is now at the core of the ongoing police investigation.
The moments immediately following the impact were, understandably, chaotic and profoundly emotional. Emergency crews on board the very ambulance that struck the child instantly stopped to render aid. The 11-year-old, who suffered severe traumatic injuries, was quickly stabilized and transported to the nearby Ryder Trauma Center for urgent treatment. While her current condition remains unreleased by the hospital, one witness did report that the girl appeared to be alert and responsive immediately after the horrific collision, offering a small sliver of hope amid the severity of the situation.
The reverberations of this crash quickly spread beyond the pavement. SLAM Miami Charter School confirmed the victim is one of their own, releasing a statement that they are in constant contact with the family during this terrifying time. The school is also focused on the emotional toll this event has taken, providing counseling resources and support to students and staff who witnessed the trauma or were affected by the news. Moreover, the original patient being transported by Rescue 4 had to be transferred to a secondary rescue unit to ensure they reached the hospital without further delay.
With so much conflicting information and a child’s life hanging in the balance, the Miami Police Department has launched a full-scale investigation to determine the exact circumstances of the crash. They have sealed off the area, closing NW 12th Avenue between NW 4th and NW 7th Streets to allow investigators to meticulously process the scene. Authorities are urging motorists to steer clear and find alternate routes as the investigation moves forward, hopefully bringing a clear explanation—and justice—to what has been a tragic collision between a child’s morning routine and a life-saving mission gone wrong.