Latest update April 3rd, 2025 5:06 PM
Logger killed by falling tree
Thirty-year-old Ernan Amsterdam, a logger and wood cutter of Barakara, Canje River, was on Monday killed when a tree he was cutting along with two relatives fell, and broke another tree which subsequently fell on him.
The accident occurred at Three Sisters Savannah, some 150 miles up the Canje River and a further 60 miles from Barakara.
By the time Amsterdam was picked up and taken for medical attention he succumbed.
Ernan Amsterdam
According to his cousin, Cyril Amsterdam, he, his uncle Martin Amsterdam and Ernan Amsterdam were cutting logs at the Three Sisters location at a two-three acre grant owned by an individual named Basdeo. He stated that they have been working together for about six to seven years and would cut various logs for different purposes.
Cyril Amsterdam told Kaieteur News that on Monday, last, his cousin was the ‘saw man’ while he and his uncle were responsible for clearing the area and tree of sand and other obstacles, before it is cut. It was some time between 16:30 and 17:00 hrs. He related that they were cutting “an 18-inch tree which was about 30 to 40 ft in height”.
“Usually when we are cutting the trees and we are almost through we would call out to one another to run,” Cyril Amsterdam said. So when Ernan Amsterdam called on them to run they all headed in different directions. Ernan ran with the saw.
“After awhile the saw stopped working and we did not see or hear Ernan. We immediately went back to check. My uncle saw Ernan lying on the ground and called me over. Ernan was lying on the ground and seemed like he was badly injured and blood was about. His foot seemed to be broken, but when we checked his foot was intact.”
Cyril stated that when he rubbed his cousin’s head the skin was left hanging. He immediately put it back in place and took off his shirt and wrapped the wound. The two men tried to tend to his wounds as best as they could and took him out to the waterfront.
The man stated that a number of residents of Barakara and other areas are presently camped at Three Sisters, which are three Islands in the Canje River. He stated that the persons around, including the man’s wife Iona, who he had taken on the trip for the first time, were notified.
He was placed in a boat and they began the journey to Barakara. However after some 12 miles of travelling, Ernan Amsterdam stopped breathing.
They arrived at Barakara and hired a 75 HP boat before heading to New Amsterdam. They arrived there at around 7am on Tuesday and the injured man was taken to the New Amsterdam Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. His skull appeared to be fractured.
Ernan Amsterdam leaves to mourn his wife Iona, three young children Adika,7, Tion, 4, and Navin, 2, his mother, five brothers and three sisters. He was the last of the siblings.
Investigations are continuing.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
A coalition of shared disgrace
Peeping Tom… Kaieteur News- The APNU and the AFC deserve each other. They deserve to be shackled together in a coalition... more
The U.S. “Joining” the Commonwealth: an unreasonable expectation
By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News- Recent media stories have suggested that King Charles III could “invite” the United... more
Weekend Cartoon
