(Jamaica Gleaner) Five persons, including two children, were seriously injured yesterday morning in a three-vehicle collision along the Montpelier main road, which also left several other persons nursing minor injuries.
The accident – which occurred about 8 a.m. close to the Blue Hole intersection, 21 kilometres south of Montego Bay – saw more than 30 people being rushed to Cornwall Regional Hospital (CRH) in the St James capital. Eleven persons were taken to the trauma unit, which was initially overwhelmed.
Dr Derrick Harvey, senior medical officer at CRH, toldThe Gleaner that of the 11 persons, five suffered major injuries and required hospitalisation.
“The critically injured persons were immediately sent off to get CT scans,” he said. “The injuries of the rest of the patients were basically injuries to their limbs and heads. Those others were triaged [to be assessed] for X-rays, and they will probably be able to go home,” added Harvey.
According to reports from the Anchovy police, the accident occurred when the driver of a white Toyota Hiace minibus, which was transporting passengers from Savanna-la-Mar to Montego Bay, stopped to allow an Isuzu truck to turn on to the Blue Hole roadway.
While the truck was turning, another minibus, which was also transporting passengers from the direction of Savanna-la-Mar, attempted to overtake the Toyota Hiace bus and collided with the truck. The impact sent that bus crashing into Toyota Hiace bus.
“When mi hear di crash, mi swear say everybody dead,” said a man who ran from his yard to assist the injured after hearing the collision. “Mi run go out deh and mi see di three vehicle dem mash-up and everybody inna blood. We help pull dem out and send off di worst one dem to hospital.”
The three drivers, who suffered minor injuries, were questioned by police officers who rushed to the scene.