Hill Field in Somerset early on New Year's Day, a hospital spokesman said yesterday.

Although King Edward VII Memorial Hospital is down to one working ambulance, others owned by the St. John Ambulance and the Bermuda Fire Service have been stationed at the hospital as back-ups, said chief emergency medical technician Mr. Raymond Santucci.

On New Year's Eve, "we had three ambulances in the yard'', Mr. Santucci told The Royal Gazette yesterday. "On any normal night, we only operate two ambulances after midnight anyway.'' A fracas in which rocks and bottles were thrown erupted after a New Year's Eve reggae party at White Hill Field. A Police spokesman said the crowd became enraged at how long it took an ambulance to get to the scene after two men were injured in a fight.

KEMH has only one ambulance after two were damaged in motor vehicle collisions. But Mr. Santucci said "a bit of confusion'' was behind the delay, not a lack of ambulances. An ambulance was called to White Hill shortly after 1 a.m., Mr. Santucci said. While the crew was rushing to the scene, the call came in for the motorcycle accident on Middle Road in Southampton which proved fatal.

Because the accident was so serious, the ambulance diverted to respond to that call, and Police in the area were asked to respond to White Hill, Mr. Santucci said.

Police picked up an injured man and brought him to KEMH. But neither Police nor the hospital was aware that there was a second man injured, he said.

The second call for an ambulance to White Hill came in just after 1.30 a.m.

and an ambulance was dispatched, Mr. Santucci said. It likely took a further 15 to 20 minutes for the ambulance to arrive at the scene.

Meanwhile, a new ambulance for KEMH is expected to arrive from Florida on January 15 aboard the container ship Somers Isles . Hospital officials had hoped the special van would arrive last Sunday, but it missed the sailing from Fernandina Beach.

HELPING KEMH -- The Bermuda Fire Service has stationed a back-up ambulance at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, which is down to one vehicle as a result of collisions. Here, firefighter/emergency medical technician Mr. Troy Brimmer (at wheel) discusses the situation with hospital chief EMT Mr. Raymond Santucci.