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Defective Harbour Bridge nearly causes disaster
Faulty section caused differential, springs and crank shaft to be ripped from the truck – driver
The deteriorating state of the Demerara Harbour Bridge was blamed for a collision between a truck and a car on the bridge. The collision left hundreds stranded on either side of the river.
The driver of the car, 55-year-old Khemraj Persaud, said that he was heading east along the bridge when he noticed the truck swerving violently towards him and he immediately applied his brake.
The extent of the damage to the truck
He added that he could not reverse because there were several vehicles behind him, and as such he could only pray for the best.
His vehicle sustained significant damage.
According to the trucker, Prem Narine, who is also 55, he was heading west when he felt a strong tug under the rear of his truck and the vehicle began to sway towards the northern carriageway of the bridge towards the car.
He said that he pulled the vehicle back to the southern carriageway but lost control as the rear of the tray of the truck swerved across the bridge and broadsided the car.
When he got out of the vehicle it was only then that he realised the full extent of the damage, given that the differential, springs and crank shaft had been ripped from the truck, even damaging the tyres.
A minibus driver who was immediately behind the truck related to this newspaper that while the truck was crossing the bridge its front wheel apparently lifted the ‘I’ beam and it was that that hooked the rear differential, ripping it almost completely off.
The truck driver Prem Narine looking at the raised ‘I’ beam
This was corroborated by Narine who said that the ‘I’ beam was not raised as he approached but opined that the front wheel must have lifted it just enough to hook the bottom of the truck.
The eyewitness said that when the truck passed and raised the ‘I’ beam it connected to the rear of the truck, lifted it into the air and then the truck pulled over to the northern lane then back to the southern lane but as he did that, the momentum caused the tray to continuously sway across, slamming into the car, in the process completely blocking the bridge.
This argument was disputed by recently appointed Bridge manager who said that if that were the case the ‘I’ beam would have been completely folded and that had not happened.
He pointed to the weak vehicle which he said was being held together by makeshift adhesive.
This notion was quickly condemned by the drivers who converged on the scene to get a glimpse. They said that it would be impossible for what Adams identified as holding a truck together.
Adams noted that there would be an investigation.
Several opted to walk over the one and a quarter-mile structure rather than wait
The accident, however, left hundreds stranded in the scorching sun and this was made worse by the fact that a truck driver who had offered to render assistance was subsequently called away by his employer, much to the annoyance of those affected.
The accident gave persons an opportunity to get out and examine the condition of the Bridge. Many of them said that they were even scared to walk on some of the deck plates, most of which were cracked and tacked in many places.
Many left with the notion of even more vigilance as they traverse the bridge in future, calling on the administration to speedily address the problem.
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