One man is dead and another seriously injured after an industrial accident at RUSAL’s Aroaima bauxite operations in Region 10(Upper Berbice/Upper Demerara).
Reports say that twenty-year-old Franklyn Reece of Hururu Mission, Berbice River was pronounced dead on arrival at the Kwakwani Hospital while 35-year-old Anthony Johnson is seriously injured following the industrial accident at the mine site at RUSAL’s BCGI in Aroaima.
According to information emanating from the area, sometime after 10 am the two men were in a mining pit where the company was blasting when a wall caved in smothering the two. Johnson was quickly rescued but Reece was buried under a lot of debris and it took some time for rescuers to get to him. He was rushed to the Kwakwani Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Up to press time RUSAL was making preparations to have Johnson air-dashed to the GPHC. He suffered injuries to the back and cannot be brought out by road to the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC). According to reports out of Kwakwani the riverain hospital has the capacity to provide an assessment of Johnson’s condition but is handicapped because there is no lab technician in Kwakwani.
Prime Minister Sam Hinds who has responsibility for mining this afternoon issued a statement expressing regret at the accident.
“Prime Minister and Minister Responsible for Mining, including bauxite, (Sam Hinds) sadly learnt this morning (October 30, 2011) about the unfortunate accident at the bauxite mines of Bauxite Company Guyana Inc. (BCGI) at Kwakwani, in which a mine wall collapsed on two samplers- one reportedly fatally injured and the other in a critical condition in hospital at Kwakwani.
“The Prime Minister has had discussions with the Minister of Labour, Honourable Manzoor Nadir who is dispatching a team of officers to Kawkwani to ascertain the facts and to provide an immediate report on this regrettable accident.
“Early in this week, a team will be appointed to conduct a full investigation into this fatal accident in an effort to establish where regulations to ensure occupational safety and health might not have been satisfied, and to determine other factors, if any, that might have contributed to this unfortunate incident.
“Sincere condolences and deepest sympathies are hereby extended to the family and friends of the deceased, and wishes for an early and full recovery of the injured are herewith proffered.” (Cathy Richards)
