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Four dead after ‘bush truck’ topples
Four persons were killed and several others injured when a ‘bush truck’ travelling uphill along the Barama main road overturned several times, hurling some of its occupants down a 67-foot valley.
Andre Abel recaps the accident to the media
The dead have been identified are Richard Doobay, 33, of Riverstown; Pamela Solomon, of ‘B’ Field Sophia; Aubrey Evans and George Persaud, 31, of Lot 77 Angoy’s Avenue Corentyne.
The driver of the truck, who managed to jump out vehicle, sustained injuries and was transported out of the area, along with other injured passengers, with the assistance of an ambulance assigned to the Barama Timber Company Limited.
The injured included Norlando Brown, 20, of Sister’s Village,Wales, West Bank Demerara; Benedict Leonard, of Cordina Ida, West Coast Demerara; Michael Brown, of Corriverton, Berbice; Kavita Kingling, of Wales, West Bank Demerara; Andre Abel, of Mahaicony; Deroy Sealy of Sister’s Village; Kavita Clankein, 19, of Patentia, West Bank Demerara; Michael Cater, 28, and Arvin Narine.
Detectives from the Anna Regina Police Station assisted in transporting the dead out of the area.
Arvin Doobay, of Riverstown, and Brain Singh, of Bartica were among the survivors.
Five of the grime-covered survivors were taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). Of the lot, Carter and Clankein were most seriously injured, although they were able to communicate with persons around.
Kaieteur News was told that several of the victims were pinned beneath the mangled truck, and a dragline, from the Barama Timber Company, had to be used to hoist the vehicle off the bodies.
Norlando Brown to the fore and Droy Sealy still shaken
Unconfirmed reports said that more than a dozen persons were in the truck and most of those seriously injured were asleep when the vehicle overturned. Some of the passengers reportedly jumped out of the truck as it rolled backwards while others were flung from the vehicle.
Survivors said that around 23:00hours on Saturday, the truck, GNN 8941, was heading uphill when they heard grating sounds, which indicated that the driver was experiencing mechanical difficulties.
One survivor, 48-year-old Wayne Lake of La Grange, West Coast Demerara, said that the truck stalled and started to topple down-hill.
He said some passengers jumped out the back of the truck, but soon, the vehicle ended up in a clump of bushes, before, “toppling over in slow motion.”
Carter said he just remembered the truck going down the hill and afterward, being flung from the vehicle. He said the next thing he felt was a ‘heavy object’ on his stomach. As tears streamed down his face, Carter said that since he was rescued from the wreck he had been travelling and had not received medical attention.
Clankein, who complained of stomach pains, said she was awake at the time but was unable to get out of the truck before it overturned. The young woman said she was heading into the interior, but could not remember much about the accident since everything happened so quickly.
Michael Carter is wheeled into the hospital
Vanetta Bowling, the reputed wife of victim George Persaud, said that she received the news of her husband’s death at around 03:00 hrs yesterday.
“A girl call and say that how George dead. Dem ain’t really say nothing else, but he only left Saturday fuh go in the bush with this man he does wuk wid, but this is the first time he gone in dey with this dredge operator.”
“Me aint get much details but I hear how that when the truck turn over some people went sleeping and dem that wake up jump off de truck.”
“Persaud’s neighbour, Michael Carter, was also a passenger. He reportedly suffered a broken hip and shoulder.
The driver of the truck, identified as Keon James, is reportedly in police custody. Sources identified the owner of the vehicle as Wayne Blake.
Kaieteur News was told that the passengers were heading for an area known as Sulphur Rose, in the Cuyuni District, when the accident occurred.
The damaged ‘bush truck’
Kavita Clankien being wheeled into the hospital
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