First episode of new ‘Ambulance’ shows paramedics confronted with an inferno at block of flats

The dramatic opening episode for the BAFTA award-winning series joins London Ambulance Service crews as they attend huge incidents, such as flat fires, that can unfold across the capital at any moment.

The episode, which aired on Thursday (17 October) on BBC One at 9pm, goes behind the scene of a weekend shift in north-east London as crews attend a variety of other patients, including those affected by poor living conditions and drug addiction.

Crews in the Tactical Operations Centre, which acts as the nerve centre for traumatic and complex emergencies in London, are responding to an emergency involving multiple patients who have been attacked with an unknown chemical.

Paramedic Abi Williams, who works on the Tactical Response Unit, is specially trained in chemical and multi-casualty incidents and is immediately dispatched.

While Abi assesses the patients’ injuries, the Tactical Operations Centre receive another urgent call to a multi-storey block of flats in Erith, where a flat is on fire. The decision is made to declare a significant incident, which takes priority.

For Abi, the incident serves as a harrowing reminder of the Grenfell Tower fire. She said: “I remember feeling a bit scared because I’d never even considered that I would face anything like that.

“Everyone remembers the image of the night-time cityscape with the towering inferno in the middle of it and I don’t think that’s an image that will ever leave anyone’s mind.” 

Meanwhile crewmates David Empson and Lex Gioia arrive at a 59-year-old woman with difficulty in breathing. They discover the patient is living in a flat covered in black mould which is exacerbating her symptoms.

David said: “In east London especially, there’s a lot of poverty. Whenever we go to see a patient, it’s quite common now that I’ll just check to see if the fridge is working.”

Daniel Elkeles, London Ambulance Service Chief Executive, said: “The first episode is a showstopper. I’m really excited for the nation to see the life-affirming care, compassion and professionalism of our fantastic crews and watch how proud they are to care for Londoners around the clock in our busy and vibrant capital city.

“Viewers will see the challenges – and the humanity – that an exhilarating city like London provides our clinicians out on the road and in our control rooms. The episode also offers insight into the breath of roles available and how incredibly rewarding and thrilling a career at the Service is.”

The series of six programmes will be broadcast weekly from Thursday 17 October at 9pm on BBC One and available on iPlayer. The shows, produced by Dragonfly Film and TV, part of Banijay UK, will shine a light on the challenges paramedics at London Ambulance Service face as they care for more than 9 million Londoners.

Over the 11 weeks the cameras were rolling from January 2024, our Service took 365,000 emergency 999 calls and attended more than 220,000 incidents. The programme-makers were granted access to tell the real-life stories of patients, staff and volunteers behind the vast numbers at the UK’s busiest ambulance service.

For more information about career opportunities at London Ambulance Service visit our careers page on our website.