Shocking moment driverless Waymo taxi blocks road for firefighters rushing to deadly explosion

Shocking moment driverless Waymo taxi blocks road for firefighters rushing to deadly explosion The driverless car - a taxi operated by Waymo - prevented a fire crew from reaching the blaze, which happened at an apartment building in Dallas, Texas, on Thursday This is the moment firefighters and police were blocked by a driverless taxi as they rushed to the scene of a deadly explosion. Bodycam footage from a raging police officer caught the moment he frustratedly blasted the Waymo taxi, saying: "Go, come on, go." Around 100 firefighters had been heading to a serious blaze, which started after an explosion at an apartment building on Thursday. The blast led to deaths of an 18-month-old baby, named Eric, his mum, Marisol Perez, and a civil right activist named Sylvia Collins. Bodycam footage caught the Waymo sideways blocking the road on the way to the fire, in Dallas, Texas. Dallas County Deputy Constable Jonathan Banda, after realising the vehicle was a driverless car, said: "Man, there's nobody in here." The police officer was then heard connecting to a remote Waymo agent, who asked: "Can you hear me?" The officer the said: "OK. Yes. You need to move this car ASAP, please. There's a fire around the corner. Move this car. You're blocking the roadway." The Waymo staffer was heard saying there was a "minor issue", then told the cop: "Give me one second and I can get it to go." The driverless taxi company later said the car had been making a three-point turn while trying to leave the area as the police officer arrived, according to NBC DFW. Banda can then be heard saying: "If I can manually move it, I’ll move it. Come on man, we need you to move it." The remote Waymo employee eventually unlocked the vehicle for the officer and let him drive it to unblock the road. The officer, speaking to FOX 4 said: "I knew I had to clear the way for the firefighters coming in. I could hear the sirens coming in. He released it to me and, at that point, another engine was coming down the street with the hoses they needed to deploy out there." In a statement, Waymo said: "Safety is fundamental to everything we do, and that includes how our vehicles are designed to interact with law enforcement and first responders." It added: "While the officer was engaging with our vehicle and our remote assistance team, the street remained clear and other vehicles passed by unimpeded. We remain committed to working closely with Dallas law enforcement and first responders to ensure they have the tools, training, and information they need."