A former Imam of La Grange, West Bank Demerara is nursing injuries to his right hand after he skidded on oil deposited from a truck on the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB) around 1:20 pm last Friday.
Safirali Warisali, a 64-year-old farmer, told Stabroek News that he has been unable to help himself since the accident and is in severe pain.
His wife, Amna who was the pillion rider escaped with minor abrasions.
At the time they were returning from the Friday prayers at the Peter’s Hall mosque and the white kurta he was wearing became black in the oil.
He is thankful that a car that was coming in the opposite direction stopped just in time, preventing a more serious accident. Amna has since had to close her business to take care of him.
Warisali is trying to seek compensation for his injuries but does not know who would accept liability.
He approached the officials of the DHB and after waiting for about two hours to speak to someone, he was told that there is nothing they can do.
He learnt that the truck that passed about 15 minutes before the accident and spilled the oil belonged to the power company. He then visited their office but he was again given a negative response.
His wife recalled that she managed to get up but the bike had fallen on Warisali and he was unable to move. She flogged down a vehicle belonging to the DHB and two men lifted the bike off him and “he start holler in pain.”
The man feels the accident was due to negligence and that if proper systems are not put in place, like putting sand right after the spill, the situation can become fatal.
