The Nation - News from July 5, 1988

Organizations of consumers and fire chiefs have asked the federal government to act on what they call an imminent fire hazard in 210,000 Ford vans and ambulances caused by inadequate repairs. The Center for Auto Safety and the International Assn. of Fire Chiefs sent separate letters to Transportation Secretary James H. Burnley IV. Last year, Ford recalled 193,000 1983-87 E-250 and E-350 model Econoline vans and 16,000 1983-87 ambulances built on the E-350 Econoline chassis. But the Center for Auto Safety, a Washington-based group, petitioned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on May 10 to order a new recall of the ambulances.