The accident that led to the death of GPL linesman Brian Clifford in Belvidere, Corentyne last Tuesday was a “freak accident” and could not have been predicted, says GPL’s PRO, who said that the utility pole that collapsed had been tested before being mounted by the worker.
A network technician attached to the Transmission and Distribution Department, Clifford, 47, of Lot 414 Bush Lot Village, Corentyne, had been employed with GPL for 25 years at the time of his death.
Shevion Sears, GPL’s Public Relations Officer, stated yesterday that the pole had been sturdy, countering a claim made by an eyewitness that the pole had already been leaning when Clifford began climbing it.
The witness had said that the pole began “cracking from the bottom” shortly after. Sears stated that the pole had in fact passed a series of tests, a prerequisite before work is initiated by employees.
According to a press release sent out by GPL over the weekend, the 30-foot pole broke from below ground level, taking with it Clifford, who was in the process of correcting a distribution network issue.
It was previously reported by this newspaper that residents of Belvidere related that GPL workers were summoned after an excavator, in the process of cleaning the drains in the village, damaged one of the electrical wires attached to the utility pole.
