Wimbledon Man Meets Life-Saving Ambulance Crew

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Angle-grinder had exploded into his chest

A Wimbledon man has been reunited with the ambulance crew who saved his life after he suffered an almost fatal injury in a bizarre angle-grinder accident.

Mark McQuoid, aged 54, from Kingston Road, and his daughter Emma couldn't wait to meet the team of paramedics to whom he owed his life and thank them in person at Wimbledon ambulance station on Nursery Road.

The last time he saw Advanced Paramedic Practitioner David Biginton, Emergency Medical Technician Paul Bartlett, Paramedic Paul Broadway and Paramedic student John Wyatt was in the back of an ambulance driving on blue lights to St George's Hospital, Tooting.

Just hours before, at around 2.30pm on January 15, Mr McQuoid was helping a friend with some DIY at a gym on Winthorpe Road.

He said: "He was upstairs working and I was using an angle grinder to put in a new door frame

"All I remember is feeling a thud and I knew something had gone wrong. It seemed something had gone wrong with the angle grinder and it had exploded back and hit me in the chest.

"I remember looking down and seeing  a small hole about the size of your finger in my shirt and there was another hole in my chest which had gone through to my heart.  I didn’t feel any pain but I was struggling to keep conscious.

"Luckily my friend helped save my life because he noticed the sound of the machine had stopped and he looked out the window and saw me on my knees.

"The next thing I remember is waking up in the back of the ambulance surrounded by people wearing masks."

Advanced Paramedic Practitioner Dave Biginton was amazed when he heard Mr McQuoid had knocked on the ambulance station door.

"We responded very quickly and worked together as a team. I was amazed when I heard Mark had recovered, because he had been very unwell when we got there. It’s great to get a result like this."

Bill Arkell, London Ambulance Operations Manager in Wimbledon, said: "I am very pleased that Mr McQuoid has recovered from his injury and that we were able to make a difference in this time-critical situation.

"The crews who attended acted very quickly to ensure that Mr McQuoid received the best care and treatment on scene and then to take him to the most appropriate centre at St Georges Hospital. Well done to all and we send our best wishes to Mr McQuoid."

February 20, 2014