Grenade kills one, injures 19

Jan 06, 2011 News

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By Latoya Giles
One person is dead and 19 are injured, including four-year-old boy, after a fragmented grenade exploded yesterday, in the Stabroek Market area in the shopping arcade that accommodates itinerant vendors especially at nights.
Not far away is the Guyana Fire Station Headquarters yesterday morning. The dead man who goes by the alias of “American’ or ‘Deportee” died on the spot. His hand was blown off below the elbow and his face was disfigured.
A vendor who sells close to where the explosion happened told Kaieteur News that the dead man would normally come and clean the stand daily. He would normally do odd jobs around the market.
The vendor further told this publication that “American” came yesterday morning and quickly started sweeping around the stall owned by Mark Hyman, called Bow Wow.
“He come and was sweeping and unpacking the stall when I heard this explosion,” explained the vendor. The vendor opined that the grenade was probably planted there for the stall owner. “Is he Bow Wow does normally unpack de stall….but this morning de junkie was doing it,” the vendor said.
Kaieteur News understands that the stall owner was a short distance away talking to another vendor when he heard the explosion.
He was taken to the Brickdam Police Station for further questioning and returned later to the scene before being taken into custody again.
A number of onlookers who heard the explosion said that it sounded like “thunder”.
It was only after one vendor saw the dead man lying on the ground, persons in the area started rushing to the scene.

Loud explosion
The loud explosion could be heard as far as Louisa Row and sent a number of high-ranking police officials rushing to the scene.
Minister Clement Rohee, who was present at the scene, yesterday, told members that preliminary indication suggests that the dead man may have been in possession of the explosive.
The Minister could not say what the explosive device was but contended that it was something very lethal.
When questioned about the fact that there were quite a few high ranking police officials present, the Minister said that the proximity of the Fire Headquarters and A Division Headquarters had a lot to do with it.
“The explosion happened near the Headquarters for the fire department and also the A Division headquarters which is Brickdam.”
He added that he would not want to link yesterday’s occurrence with the fact that elections may be months away. Rohee said that the market is a safe haven for criminals and illegal activities.
He said that the Police Commissioner has been carrying out campaigns to stop vending on the market tarmac. He also said that there are a number of illegal barber shops with illegal electrical connections.
Present at the scene yesterday were A Division Commander George Vyphuis, Crime Chief Seelall Persaud and Police Commissioner Henry Greene. The trio all refused to comment on the situation.
Fire Chief Marlon Gentle told reporters that immediately after the blast his ranks quickly rendered assistance.
He said a few of the injured persons rushed over to the fire station and were transported to the hospital.
Minutes after this newspaper had finish speaking with Mr Gentle, ranks from the Forces’ “Bomb Squad” arrived with their tracker dog.
They were seen removing pieces of metal from neighbouring shops. Several shop and stall owners were questioned by the “experts”.
Injured yesterday in the explosion were Marvyn Adams,30, of 248 First St. Mocha, who sustained injuries to the left arm; Seon Barrow, 4, of  Lot 3 Bagotsville, West Coast Demerara. The child sustained injuries to the left shoulder.
Senior citizens Gampattie Mohanlall of Timehri, and Victorine Campbell, 76, of 19 New Hope, East Bank Demerara, were coming from the bus park when they heard the explosion.
Seconds later Mohanlall felt a burning sensation to the head and rubbed her forehead only to find it bloody. Campbell received injuries to the right shoulder.
Irfan Alli, 42, of 54 Stuartville, West Coast Demerara received injuries to right eye and left thigh.
Clayton Alleyne, 30, of 318 Kuru Kuru, Soesdyke Highway sustained an injury to right eye. Egbert Austin, 40, of 74 Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara, sustained a wound to the abdomen and was admitted to the Male Surgical Ward of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.
Ester Sutherland, age 55, of 44 Palm Street, was doing business in the market when she heard the explosion. She later felt something dripping. Close inspection revealed that blood was flowing from her head. Sutherland received injuries to the neck.
And 49 year old Avis Davidson, of 59 La Retrait, West Coast Demerara, sustained burns about the body. Surjpattie Rajkumarie, 63, of 213 Grove Squatting Area EBD, sustained head injuries   and a laceration to the left shoulder.
Sandra Harrilall, age 33, of 81 Diamond Housing Scheme received a wound to the right shoulder.
Trefa Hinds, age 31, of Cummings Lodge, ECD, sustained injuries to the eyes and jaw. Up to press time he was undergoing surgery to save his eye sight.
Dennis DeFreitas, 50, of 32 Robb Street, sustained a puncture wound to the left forearm while Malvina David, 67, of 4 Aubrey Barker Road, S/R/V, had an injury to the right thigh.
Randolph Browne, 34, of 538 Mocha Housing Scheme sustained, injuries to the neck and upper leg; Allen Daniels, 50, of 23 Number 41 Village, West Coast Berbice sustained an injury to the chin; Edward Dalton, age 38, of 76 Hyde Park, Timehri, East Bank Demerara had injuries to the left leg, thigh and neck and Shane Wiggins, age 28, of 33 Herstelling, East Bank Demerara was also injured.
The police in a release yesterday stated that they are still continuing their investigations. Up to press time a number of the injured persons were still receiving treatment at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

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