Traffic, icy roads force a roadside birth in Calgary

A mother in Calgary gave birth to a baby girl in an SUV after icy roads, traffic jams and falling snow made it impossible to get to a hospital on time.

The woman had her second child just before 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday while parked in a lot near 37th Street and Glenmore Trail S.W. Her husband and a female friend were with her.

The trio had called for help, but the road and weather conditions delayed emergency workers.

By the time fire crews arrived from a nearby hall, the baby girl was already crowning. She was delivered five minutes later with the help of firefighters. Paramedics arrived just in time to clamp the umbilical cord, and then took the baby and her parents to hospital in an ambulance.

At the time it was –13 C and snowing in Calgary.