Vials of dangerous drugs — fentanyl, midazolam — stolen from Winnipeg ambulance

An ambulance parked at Winnipeg's St. Boniface Hospital was broken into and six vials of narcotics were stolen.

The Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service said the vials were stolen around 3 a.m. Monday while the vehicle was sitting in the hospital's ambulance bays.

There were four vials of fentanyl and two of midazolam, said the fire paramedic service, which is investigating the theft.

Fentanyl is a potent painkiller, 100 times more powerful than morphine. Paramedics carry it to treat pain caused by fractures, cardiac pain, and other emergencies.

Used improperly it is extremely dangerous and has been blamed for numerous overdose deaths around the country. It is one of the drivers of the ongoing opioid crisis.

Midazolam is a sedative used as an anesthetic for procedures such as intubation and to control seizures. It induces sleepiness and has been used as a date rape drug because it's soluble, odourless, tasteless and colourless. It also causes short-term memory loss.

Paramedics typically wear these drugs in their duty belts, and it's standard procedure to lock ambulances when paramedics take a stretcher into a hospital, said Ryan Sneath, assistant chief of paramedic operations.

Sneath did not know how the medications were stored when they were stolen. "That's part of the police investigation and what they're looking into," he said.

The theft has been reported to the Winnipeg police and the major crimes unit is investigating.

In addition to the police investigation, the fire-paramedic service is conducting its own internal investigation, which will include a review of policies and practices, Sneath said.

The fire-paramedic service warns that taking any amount of the drugs without medical supervision can be dangerous or fatal.

"If patients are taking medications they don't know what they are or who they're from or what they're prescribed for, they can be lethal. That is something we want people to be aware of, so if they find medications or are in possession of medications, they need to be returning those to the police," Sneath said.

Anyone with information that may assist investigators is asked to call 204-986-6219 or Crime Stoppers at 204-786-TIPS (8477).