An EMT worker was severely injured Monday when an ambulance slammed into a parked vehicle in West Nyack, opening the ambulance like a sardine can.

Police say the ambulance was traveling along Route 59 across from the Palisades Mall when driver Scott Millar, 20, hit a parked flatbed construction vehicle around 10:20 a.m. The impact caused one side of the ambulance to rip open, severely injuring the passenger.

EMT Bonnie Ames, 21, was taken to Westchester Medical Center via helicopter, despite another hospital being just minutes away by car. She sustained serious injuries to her arm and possibly a leg fracture.

Millar suffered non-life threatening head injures. Both are expected to be OK.The pair has been working for Regional Ambulance Service for more than a year. However, they were not responding to a call at the time of the collision and no patients were inside the vehicle."We're pretty devastated by the accident," said their boss, Ray Florida. "Two young people out there saving lives on a daily basis ? It's pretty wrenching."

Part of Route 59 eastbound remained closed into the afternoon as investigators tried to determine the cause of the collision. Neither Millar nor the flatbed driver were ticketed.

For interviews about the crash, go to Channel 612 on your digital iO cable box and select iO Extra.