Another interior truck mishap…Two dead, several injured

Sep 16, 2011 News

Two women from Berbice lost their lives when the truck they were travelling in on their way into the interior, careened down a hill and plunged into a ravine early yesterday morning.
Dead are 33-year-old Dorett Donald of Number 78 Village, Corentyne, and Loretta Lewis, 20, of Scotsburg, Corentyne.
The accident occurred around 07:30 hours on the Barama trail, some four miles from the Itaballi Landing.
Lewis was pronounced dead on arrival at the Bartica Hospital, while Donald succumbed around 13:00 hours while receiving treatment.
The driver of the truck, Leon De Abreau of Third Avenue, Bartica is said to be in a critical condition, while five other persons are receiving treatment.

One of the injured persons being wheeled into the Bartica Hospital.

Reports reaching this newspaper stated that the truck, laden with fuel and other supplies, in addition to the passengers, was heading up a hill when its engine suddenly shut off, causing it to roll back down.
The driver, according to reports, lost control of the vehicle and it toppled several times before ending up in a ravine.
Eyewitnesses said that rescuers had to brave the treacherous area to free the injured and pull Lewis’s body from the wreckage.
The driver of the said truck later stated that the vehicle was experiencing braking problems.
This is the second reported fatal accident to occur on the roadways of the Mining Districts of Mazaruni and Cuyuni so far for the second half of the year.
In recent times also there have been a high number of reported incidences of speeding on these thoroughfares.