Medical van carrying oxygen tips over in Simi Valley

Josh Goldstein

SIMI VALLEY -- A medical van from a Costa Mesa medical supply

company lost control and tipped over Wednesday afternoon, causing a

two-hour closure of a short segment of road.

A van carrying several oxygen canisters, wheelchairs and crutches toppled

near the Simi Valley train station shortly after noon. The 24-foot box

van lost control where Los Angeles Avenue winds into an ‘S’ curve near

Angus Avenue. The van then collided with another car, said David Cowan of

the Simi Valley Police Department.

“Once he locked up his brakes, he lost control,” Cowan said. “Then he

tried to correct himself, which is hard to do in a van that size.”

Apria Health Care is a medical supply company based in Costa Mesa that

distributes oxygen, hospital beds, wheelchairs and other medical

equipment.

As a precaution, officers held a waiting westbound train at the station

for a few minutes before determining the accident presented no danger to

commuters.

While all of the 50 or so green canisters of oxygen remained in the Apria

Health Care van, police shut down Los Angeles Avenue for two hours

between Angus and Ralston avenues to ensure none of the canisters had

leaked or burst.

Firefighters cut a hole in the top of the van to remove about four 4-foot

canisters and 30 to 40 hand-held canisters.

The driver of the van, whose name was not available, was treated and

released at the scene. The driver of the other vehicle, a Nissan Stanza,

was treated and released at Simi Valley Hospital, Cowan said.

As one of the first responding police officers to the scene, Cowan called

the fire department when he noticed liquid near the toppled van. The

liquid was later determined to be hydraulic fluid.

Although they posed no danger to the public, oxygen canisters can be

deadly if the tops are removed or torn off during the impact of an

accident, Cowan said.

“If the tops bust off of them, they turn into missiles,” Cowan said.

“They are like giant torpedoes.”

Apria officials had no comment about the accident, pending further

investigation, said Don Anderson, transportation manager for the company.