A fire department’s dog was killed after being struck by a self-driving Waymo vehicle during a Michigan community event, officials said.
The incident happened Sunday 29th November in Westland, a suburb of Detroit, at the annual Blues, Brews and BBQ event.
Stream Philadelphia News for free, 24/7, wherever you are with NBC10.
WATCH HEREBella, a beloved arson dog with the Westland Fire & Rescue, slipped away from her handler and ran onto a roadway being used for event traffic rerouting. As she entered the street, an autonomous Waymo car operating in manual-override safety mode approached, according to a Facebook post by the fire department.
Despite attempts by the safety driver to stop the vehicle, Bella was struck, and the impact proved fatal.
Paramedics on the scene responded immediately, but officials said Bella died before she could be transported for further care.
“This is a heartbreaking loss for our department,” Westland fire officials wrote. “Bella was a dedicated member of our team and a favorite at every community event. She will be deeply missed.”
The department said it is reviewing safety procedures for future events to ensure similar incidents do not occur.
