Government pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh yesterday testified that although he examined two bodies that bore blunt force trauma injuries to the head, smoke inhalation and burns were the determined causes of death of the 17 inmates who perished after the Camp Street Prison fire on March 3rd.
According to Singh, for most of the bodies found, 90% to 95% of the body’s surface area was burnt, although there was one body that was documented as having been 100% burnt. Of the two bodies that suffered trauma to the head, one (assessed to be the more serious of the two) bore signs of trauma to the top of the head, along with haemorrhaging. The other showed signs of trauma to the back of the head, though there were no signs of fractures or haemorrhaging.
Singh commented that the wounds observed were fresh, as they had not begun to clot, but could not say if these injuries were contributing factors to their deaths.
The trauma, he said, could have been caused by any variety of things, including falling, cuffing, or kicking, although he could not say which. He was also unable to say where the bodies bearing these injuries had been located at the time they were found.
There had been claims over the past few weeks that bodies had been found bearing injuries inconsistent with those caused by fire, including decapitation and protrusion of the intestines.
There was some speculation by the Fire Chief Marlon Gentle that these injuries were caused by some level of force being applied, either by striking or stabbing. Gentle had not seen these bodies himself, but had received reports from members of the Fire Service.
This theory was, however, refuted yesterday by the pathologist, who, in relation to the protruding entrails, stated matter-of-factly that given the thinness of the area covering those organs, it was likely that something of that nature would occur as the skin would burn quickly. In addition to this, he said that all the bodies he examined had their heads intact, contrary to testimonies given by witnesses.
The first witness who spoke of a decapitated body was inmate Steve Bacchus, who said he saw a skull on a bed. Bacchus, however, denied the suggestion that the head had possibly been chopped off, offering rather, that it had possibly burnt off.
When Patricia Anderson, Chief Prison Officer and Medex had testified, she could not state whether there were any bodies that had experienced trauma and did not recall seeing any headless bodies or bodies with the intestines out. Anderson had gone into the Capital A division in the aftermath of the fire to check for survivors.
Joint services attorney Eusi Anderson had questioned Singh on the limitations he experiences in exercising his duties, enquiring as to whether an inconclusive post-mortem analysis could have resulted from having not x-rayed any of the bodies.
witness, however, did not agree. Singh had stated that they lack some laboratory facilities, such as those necessary to conduct x-rays and for certain areas of toxicology and forensics testing. He admitted under questioning by Anderson that because of the lack of resources and the fact that toxicology tests were not done, he could not rule out poisoning as an indirect cause of death.
He also stated that x-rays could not be done because of the lack of facilities, but said he examined the entirety of the bodies and found no fractures, offering that in any event, his human eye is more reliable than a machine.
