Two construction workers are now hospitalised after they fell off of the building they were working on at Vreed-en-Hoop, West Coast Demerara on Sunday.
Timothy Sookwah, 26, and Safraz Mkeed, 21, were reportedly both doing construction work on a three-storey building at Vreed-en-Hoop when the accident occurred.
A vendor, who was selling around the area when the accident happened, related to Stabroek News that he heard two loud noises. “Then I hear some people start screaming,” he said.
The man, who did not want to be named, explained that the workers were both on the top flat of the building when one of them came into contact with some high voltage electrical wires in close proximity to the building.
“I hear he de working and he mistakenly jam the wire and it pitch he straight to the back and he lash into the other banna and that is how he fall down,” the man explained, while noting that Sookwah was thrown to the bottom of the building, where he was knocked unconscious, while his co-worker fell to the second storey.
The two men were picked up by some of their coworkers and then rushed in a bus to the West Demerara Regional Hospital.
Mkeed was treated for minor burns and lacerations, while Sookwah was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital, since he had sustained more serious injuries.
The two men are still currently admitted at the two hospitals, with Mkeed being in a stable condition and almost ready to be discharged, while Sookwah is still currently in the Intensive Care Unit at the Georgetown Public Hospital recovering from surgery. His condition is still listed as critical.
When Stabroek News visited the hospital yesterday to speak with Mkeed, his family related that they did not have anything to say to the media.
However, persons who normally vend around the worksite explained to Stabroek News that it is customary for workers to be working in high places without the proper gear. “In fact, I have never seen any one of those workers wearing any safety gear. No helmets, no gloves, nothing them man don’t wear. I mean they got those wires so close, at least you got to get some sort of protection,” another vendor, Mark, related to Stabroek News.
In many cases, construction workers engaged in works on high buildings are not equipped with helmets or harnesses to keep them safe and prevent any serious injury in the event of an accident. As a result of these practices, some work site deaths have occurred.
While the accident was not reported on Sunday when it happened, even though the worksite is two buildings away from the Vreed-en-Hoop Police Station, it was reported yesterday by owner of the building, Abdul Khan, and the police are doing an investigation.
It would also have to be reported to the Ministry of Social Protection’s labour department.
