On Friday, the Grand Ducal Fire and Rescue Corps (CGDIS) communicated that, following an internal investigation, it was found that human error occurred when their teams were dispatched to the wrong location of an accident at the end of January.
On 25 January 2025, a woman was struck by a car in front of the Knauf shopping centre in Huldange. After the accident, CGDIS was called at precisely 6.07pm. However, the dispatched team then proceeded to drive to Pommerloch, instead of Huldange.
At 6.18pm, Wiltz paramedics informed 112 that no accident had taken place in Pommerloch.
Six minutes later, a rescue team from Troisvierges was sent to the correct shopping centre in Huldange, where they arrived at 6.33pm.
The SAMU emergency doctor from Ettelbruck arrived at 6.55pm.
Following the accident, the woman died from her injuries in the hospital.
An internal investigation was launched, which went over the records of phone conversation. It was discovered that the person who received the call had mixed up two shopping centres. Despite the person who reported the accident saying it had taken place in “Op der Schmëtt” in Huldange, the 112 operator only knew of the existence of a Knauf centre in Pommerloch. A fatal mix-up happened, which resulted in initially sending the rescue teams to the wrong location.
Due to that mistake, the CGDIS teams arrived at the scene in Huldange with a delay of 16 minutes, 26 minutes after the accident had been reported.
The Grand Ducal Fire and Rescue team has expressed their deep regret in a press statement, and they have sent a letter to the victim’s family, offering to explain the mix-up to them.
CGDIS intends to lead further analyses in order to ascertain how they can improve the reception of their calls.
