The driver of the bus that toppled along the Nismes Public Road, West Bank Demerara on Monday evening, resulting in the death of the conductor, was blinded by the headlights from a car on the road, according to one of the passengers.
The accident resulted in the death of 25-year old minibus conductor Jerry Waldron, while 11 persons were injured.
Waldron, a resident of Goed Intent, West Bank Demerara reportedly died on the spot after the bus collided with a freshly dug pile of mud, which was left in a haphazard manner on the roadway.
Stabroek News was told that the accident occurred sometime between 6.30 and 7.30 pm in the vicinity of the Nismes branch of the Gafoor’s Shopping Complex.
Maximillian Miller, who was travelling in the bus at the time of the accident, told Stabroek News that the bus had stopped a short distance away from where the accident occurred to put off a passenger. However, when the bus pulled off, the driver was allegedly blinded by the high beam headlights from a car travelling in the opposite direction, causing him to collide with the unsuspecting mud pile which had taken up a section of an already narrow road.
“We stopped not too far from the accident to put off a passenger and less than a minute later by the time we reached the mud, a car was coming with his high beam on. My cousin tried to tell him look mud and before you know it, the bus toppled on the driver side, flipped and landed on the conductor’s side. Jerry’s head was outside of the bus so he got pinned under the bus,” Miller related.
The young man explained that after persons managed to get out of the damaged bus, an assessment of the damage was made, during which it was realised that Waldron was still trapped.
“After everyone got out to assess the damage, we realised Jerry was still in the wreckage and they pulled him from it but he was almost dead… He vomited blood and died,” he said.
Miller further noted that he, like the other passengers, suffered minor injuries, including lacerations to his knuckles, elbow and back. The driver of the bus reportedly suffered a broken arm and was taken to the West Demerara Regional Hospital, along with the other passengers for treatment.
When Stabroek News arrived at the scene of the accident on Monday evening, a large pile of fresh mud was occupying a section of the road.
It was the contention of those who had gathered at the scene on Monday evening that the haphazard manner in which the mud pile was left was responsible for the accident.
Some related that the mud was not there earlier in the day, but rather that it was dug up after drainage works being conducted in the vicinity of Gafoor’s began late Monday afternoon. The residents were especially peeved by the fact that there was no sign to warn drivers that the mud pile was there.
“The mud is the issue here… Look at where the pedestrian line is and look how far over that line the mud deh… This is negligence on whoever put this mud out here,” one man said.
“Is the carelessness of this that mek this man lose he life,” another person lamented.
Further, what was more upsetting to those who converged at the scene was what they claim were attempts made by labourers to remove the mud from the side of the road after the accident occurred.
Stabroek News was told that these attempts were foiled by public-spirited citizens who used the minibus to block the entrance of the complex.
Several attempts were made to contact a representative of Gafoor’s for a response on the mud pile.
Stabroek News has been informed that the manner in which the mud pile was left will be considered in the investigation of the accident.
