The contractor who was tasked with building a house at Coldingen, East Coast Demerara (ECD), where teenager Travis Mangra died when a stairway collapsed on Sunday, was released on station bail by the police on Monday night.
Mangra, of Enterprise, ECD, was killed when a stairway collapsed and crushed him as he was removing several ‘form boards’ which kept the structure intact.
According to a source, the contractor, who hails from Canal Number One, West Bank Demerara, was held by the police sometime on Monday. He was kept in custody until late Monday night and was subsequently released on station bail and he is expected to report to the Vigilance Police Station on Friday.
Reports are that the police are seeking advice on the matter to determine what charges, if any, can be brought against the man.
According to reports, on the day of the incident, the man was among several persons who assisted in pulling Mangra from under the rubble. However, when police on the scene enquired who was responsible for the works which were being undertaken, the man boarded a taxi in the area and left the scene.
Relatives of Mangra told this newspaper yesterday that the incident could have been avoided had the contractor used quality material. His father told Stabroek News yesterday that substandard work was being undertaken at the house and he added that the steel rods which were used to “hold the step were smaller than what is normally used.”
Another relative noted that the incident has cast many doubts as regards the works which were undertaken to other parts of the house.
Mangra’s mother, who is still in a state of shock, noted yesterday that her son was only working at the house on weekends. She said that on the morning of the incident, ”he left me with he breakfast and when I ask him where he going he sey that he going with he cousin to work on a house in Coldingen.” She said that the teen was in such a hurry that he only ate part of his breakfast.
Around 8:30 am on Sunday, Mangra, a fifth form student of the Golden Grove Secondary School, was removing the ‘form boards’ from under the stairway when the structure fell on him. He died on the spot.
Persons at the scene criticized the type of material which was being used to construct the home where the tragedy occurred. The quarter–inch steel rods broke at the top of the structure where it met the floor of the house. The rods were also placed almost on the outer section of the concrete as opposed to being located within the structure to strengthen its holding capacity.
Mangra is expected to be buried this weekend, his mother said.
