Porter dies despite airlift to city

Jul 28, 2012 News

Orin Hutson, 20, was pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) last evening, a few hours after a truck in which he was traveling, toppled, pinning him for almost one hour.
The incident occurred around 03:00hrs yesterday at Puruni.

The injured Hutson being taken to the Bartica Hospital

Kaieteur News understands that Hutson, of Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara, a porter for almost one year, was among 15 workers heading to Bartica when the incident occurred.
Hubert Thomas, Hutson’s relative, said that he was also sitting at the back of the truck when the vehicle toppled.
Thomas recalled joking Hutson. “We were all talking and making jokes when two cruisers were coming towards us. The driver like he tried to brake but like it fail so he swerve in a corner, which was a slope, to avoid colliding with the other two vehicles. The truck ended up over-turning and that is when it pinned Hutson down.”
A very shocked Thomas told Kaieteur News that all the porters escaped without any injuries. “We try to lift the truck and pull he out.”
According to Thomas, the 20-year-old appeared to be “very healthy. Is only a few scrapes were on his skin. We took him to Bartica Hospital and while going he was talking good, good. I don’t know what happen.”
The visually shaken Thomas said that the doctor at the Bartica Hospital told him that the young porter sustained internal injuries. “He (doctor) said that he had a fractured rib so they call an ambulance and took him to GPHC.”
According to Thomas, the 20-year-old seemed more critical when he was in the ambulance. “Blood de coming out from he nose and he wasn’t talking, but when we were taking him to the Bartica Hospital, he was asking a lot of questions.”
At the GPHC yesterday, Hutson’s relatives were gathered in front of the hospital and were crying bitterly.
His mother, Elizabeth Griffith, said that she was at home when she received a call that her son was pinned by a truck and that he was being air-dashed to the Bartica Hospital.