-crew member in ICU
A fuel boat exploded early yesterday morning at Bartica, leaving a man battling for his life.
Deeraj Sanmogan,27, of 129 New Road, Vreed-en-hoop, West Coast Demerara was rushed down to Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) from the Bartica Hospital after the fuel boat he was on exploded while it was discharging fuel at the Texaco Wharf. “He mighten mek it,” his father told Stabroek News.
According to the captain of the fuel boat MV Mother Ganga, Komal Persaud, it was “pumping out kero to the gas station when the pump stop working.” Persaud said that workers went to investigate why and tried to fix the problem and “it just explode.”
The incident, according to Persaud, occurred some time around 7 yesterday morning and Sanmogan was rushed to the hospital and subsequently admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
At the hospital, Sanmogan’s family was anxiously awaiting word on his condition up to yesterday evening.
According to a close family friend, who is also his neighbour, reports reaching the family were that Sanmogan was in the cabin below and after the vessel exploded, persons on board jumped overboard. The woman went on to say that it was while the boat was being drawn away from the wharf, which was at risk of burning, that they noticed someone else jumping overboard.
Sanmogan was first taken to Balwant Singh’s Hospital, when he was brought to the city, his mother said, but had to be rushed over to the GPH after they were told that Balwant Singh’s Hospital did not have a specialist to treat Sanmogan.
Sanmogan’s father, Edwin Sanmogan, while at the hospital, was too distraught to speak beyond a few words. He was teary-eyed and was holding his chest. According to relatives present, the father has a heart condition. He, however, refused to sit down.
The family said doctors told them that Sanmogan suffered third degree burns all over his body.
The Texaco Service station on Bartica is supervised by Pandit Doobay. According to Doobay, he was in Georgetown when the incident occurred.
He added that an official from the fire service in Georgetown was in Bartica later yesterday investigating the incident.
He pointed out the Bartica does not have fire-fighters. He said that the town has a small fire engine that is manned by volunteers.