New information suggests that carelessness is to blame for injuries to several persons during the disposal of explosives in the Kwakwani compound of the Bauxite Company of Guyana Incorporated (BCGI) on Saturday afternoon.
Yesterday, GGMC Commissioner, Rickford Vieira said that he was still in Kwakwani and that investigations were ongoing. While he was unable to give an update on the progress of the investigations, he did say that the process should
be fully completed by tomorrow.
Among those injured in the disposal procedure gone wrong were two Russians, Andrey Kotsynbinskiy, 33, and Renat Muldahsev,55, and Guyanese, Michael Inniss who were all air- dashed to the capital for treatment due to the severity of their injuries. Inniss sustained injuries to his chest and seemed to be the most seriously hurt. Four others were later brought to the city by ambulance for minor injuries.
Police said on Saturday that the injured had ventured too close to the blast zone as the company was preparing to dispose of a significant quantity of “unserviceable power gel,” even though being cautioned to remain a specific distance away, and were sent flying by the shockwave created by the blast.
The disposal, which took place at Docker’s Ridge, Kwakwani, was said to have been under the supervision of an explosives expert hired by the Russian-owned RUSAL, of which BCGI is a subsidiary.
However, an official yesterday stated that basic procedures for the disposal of such items were not followed.
According to a source, the company should have sought to dispose of the material underground.
Stabroek News was told that when discarding of explosives of this type, a very deep hole must first be dug and then the defective or expired material is placed into the hole. It was said that a line would then be run from the explosives to a designated spot, and then the hole then properly refilled. Once this is done, the explosives would then be detonated, causing at most, a few tremors.
This however was not done. Stabroek News understands that the unserviceable power gel was piled into a heap and detonated on the surface.
The blast from the explosion then produced a shockwave which sent the onlookers, as well as a vehicle owned by the company flying. One of the injured was reportedly found approximately one hour after the event occurred.
The source also said that when carrying out such activities in populated areas, it is imperative to inform the population of the event as well as the time it is to take place. This, he said, was to ensure that they are aware of and are able to take any precautions necessary. It was suggested that the company could have used the local television station to spread awareness. This was not done.
Police, in a statement said that at about midday on Saturday, an explosives expert hired by RUSAL was involved in the destruction of a quantity of unserviceable explosives at Dockers Ridge, Kwakwani, during which four persons received injuries. The other injured person was police constable Royston Chapman who was treated at the Mackenzie Hospital and sent away.
One resident recounted her experience. “I was in my bed and all I heard was bam, and I jump out my bed,” said the resident. She would later learn that the noise had been caused by an explosion at Dockers Ridge.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment on Saturday ordered the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), the Ministry of Labour and other relevant bodies to investigate the incident and “to examine the occupational health and safety concerns at the company’s operations.”
