Further investigation into Inspectorates after interruption of emergency number 112
All 164 callers who were unable to reach the emergency number 112 during the night of 20 and 21 June last, due to a breakdown in the system, have been traced. It has turned out that in one case of trying to reach 112, a person died of heart failure. This emergency call was eventually received at a later stage, four minutes after the first attempt to make contact with the emergency service. The ambulance arrived at the scene nine minutes after this call.
Mr Opstelten, the Minister of Security and Justice, considers the availability of the 112 emergency service of paramount importance in situations where every second counts. The Minister has requested the Inspectorate for Safety and Justice and the Inspectorate for Public Health to carry out a further investigation into the facts and circumstances of this call involving the death of a person.
The interruption of 112 occurred between 00.15 and 06.20 a.m., during which period of time the emergency service was unavailable to a number of callers using a mobile phone. The emergency number continued to be available for callers using a landline. The interruption was caused by maintenance work on the 112 infrastructure.