Latest update December 19th, 2024 3:22 AM
Smash-up leaves one dead, seven injured
A two-vehicle smash-up at Orangestein, East Bank Essequibo, yesterday morning has left one person dead, seven injured, and many family members in distress.
Dead is 53-year-old Balraj, a farmer of Parika Backdam, East Bank Essequibo, who met his demise as he drove minibus PDD 6784, east along the Public Road. His vehicle crashed head-on into a motor canter, GKK 9974, which was heading in the opposite direction.
Reports are that the bus swerved from a cow on the roadway into the path of the canter thereby resulting in the fatal collision. Both vehicles, mainly the front sections, were in a mangled state.
Meat piled in the tray of the canter was scattered on the roadway as a result of the accident.
The canter, this publication was told, was driven by 72-year-old Abdul Jahur of Good Hope, East Bank Essequibo. He was reportedly heading to his butcher shop at Parika, also on the East Bank of Essequibo, in the company of his wife, 52-year-old Fareeda Jahur, and an employee, 30-year-old Nadira Persaud, when the accident occurred.
All three are currently patients in the Intensive Care Unit of the privately-operated Dr Balwant Singh Hospital in Georgetown.
However, reports are that all of the injured were initially rushed to the Leonora Diagnostic Centre for medical attention by public-spirited citizens, as was Balraj, who was pronounced dead on arrival there. Balraj was pinned in the vehicle for some time before his mangled and lifeless body was removed.
The passengers of the minibus, Rajesh Ganesh, 42, and his 11-year-old son, Satyanand Ganesh, both of Parika Backdam, East Bank Essequibo; Pooja Singh, 11, and Asheanna Dudnauth, 11, both of Ruby Backdam, East Bank Essequibo, were eventually taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) for further attention.
Most of the injured complained of pain to their heads although it was evident that some of them had other injuries about their bodies.
The least injured among the lot was Satyanand Ganesh, who was discharged from the hospital and allowed to head to school to write the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA).
All of the injured children, this publication understands, were on their way to write the NGSA at the Academy of Excellence at Cornelia Ida, West Coast Demerara.
Rajesh Ganesh, in a conversation with this publication, as he waited to be x-rayed at the GPHC yesterday, said that although he was sitting in the front passenger seat of the minibus he could only recall hearing a loud impact.
“I can’t remember anything. All I know is that I hired the bus and I gave the driver $4,000 to throw (in) gas and like when he reach 100 yards away from the gas station, I bend down to change the CD because he (the driver) was playing music.”
According to Ganesh, after the collision he lost consciousness and awoke at the Leonora Diagnostic Centre.
He disclosed that he had hired the minibus to take him to Enmore on the East of Demerara to purchase bags before taking him to collect fertilizer.
“I left early to give my son, Satyanand and his friends, Pooja Singh and Asheanna Dudnauth a drop to their school.”
While those injured remained hospitalised up to press time yesterday, by early yesterday afternoon, relatives and friends of the dead man were making preparations for a wake.
His reputed wife Khemrajie, was in a distraught state as was his 96-year-old mother, Umaria. He resided with the two at Parika Backdam.
The two women were being consoled by family members and neighbours yesterday as they came to grips with the reality of Balraj’s passing. His death represents the passing of all seven of the children born to his mother.
Balraj also leaves to mourn his two children, 25-year-old twins Stephon Balraj and Chan Smith.
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