Three men were killed this morning and two others seriously injured when a small pick-up owned by the Bosai mining company slid under a truck it attempted to overtake on the company’s internal road.
Chairman of Region Ten Sharma Solomon told Stabroek News today that confirmed dead are Michael Williams, Kester Grant and Trenton Garner.
According to Solomon, information received from the bauxite company revealed that around 11:30 am the pick-up was about to overtake the truck but instead the driver lost control of the vehicle and it slid under the larger vehicle. It was stated that Williams was the driver of the ill-fated pick-up.
Two other men are in serious condition at the Linden Hospital Complex and according to Solomon the company may have to make arrangement to transport them to Georgetown as soon they are cleared to travel. He said that the region has been repeatedly making requests to the Ministry of Health for an ambulance to be made available for cases precisely like these but has been unhappy with the response.
Police are investigating.
The police this afternoon reported on the matter. A release said that “At about 1015h. today Thursday June 20, 2013, the driver of a motor pick-up attached to Bosai Minerals Group, lost control of the vehicle while travelling in the East Montgomery Mines at Linden and ended up under a heavy-duty lorry that he was in the process of overtaking.
As a result, the heavy-duty lorry ran over the pick-up crushing the occupants inside.
Driver Michael Williams, 45 years, of Kumaka Mines, Linden; Trenton Gardner, 62 years, of Industrial Area, Linden; and Kester Grant, of Block 22, Wismar, were pronounced DOA, while Fabian Anthony and Marlon Pollydore have been admitted to the Mackenzie Hospital in serious condition. Investigations are in progress.
The Ministry of Natural Resources this afternoon said that a team has been deployed to investigate the tragedy.
The ministry statement said:
“A team has been deployed to investigate an incident that occurred at Bosai Minerals Group (Guyana) Inc, Linden operation where three persons were reportedly killed and two severely injured.
“According to reports a truck used in the company’s mining operation ran over a vehicle which was occupied by several persons. BOSAI management indicated that efforts are being made to have the injured receive urgent medical attention.
“The Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment has mandated the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, Ministry of Labour and other agencies to conduct an urgent investigation and to examine occupational health and safety concerns at the Company’s operation.
“Meanwhile, Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Hon. Robert M. Persaud has urged the team to conduct an expeditious and thorough investigation to ascertain the cause of the accident.”
