A total of eight passengers were rushed to a city hospital for treatment yesterday morning after two mini-buses collided at the junction of Norton and Haley streets, in Wortmanville, Georgetown.
The injured passengers were rushed to the George-town Public Hospital (GPH) and this newspaper was told that they sustained serious injuries.
The accident occurred around 10.40 am.
Eyewitnesses told reporters at the scene that a Route 41 minibus, BWW 1782 was proceeding east along Norton Street when a Route 42 minibus, BVV 6909, which was proceeding along Haley Street, collided with it.
As a result of the impact, BWW 1782 landed in a nearby trench.
At the time of the accident, both minibuses were transporting passengers. The passengers of minibus BVV 6909 were said to be Cuban nationals, while the driver was described as a Spanish-speaking man.
An eyewitness, who wished not to be named, told Stabroek News that the driver of the Route 42 minibus failed to stop at the intersection, thereby causing the accident. Meanwhile, the driver of minibus BWW 1782, Anthony Chester, told reporters that he was proceeding east along Norton Street when the other minibus collided with the side of his vehicle.
“The guy [the driver of the Route 41 minibus] came out and hit the bus and push it straight into the trench. I blowing on him and everything but he didn’t stop. When I came out the bus, spoke to him, he said he don’t understand, he’s Spanish,” Chester explained.
A passenger of Chester’s bus said just before the accident he heard the women on board start to scream. “All I see this is that soon as this bus blow, [the Route 42 bus] run over and jump. This boy run ova the speed bump and knock this bus inside the trench,” the man said.
He noted that Chester was not driving at a fast rate. “And this bus [Route 41] keep on blowing and yet still he come in a speed and knock us inside the trench, cause this man [Chester] wasn’t driving hard,” he added.
He escaped with minor injuries.
A police investigation has been launched and both buses have been impounded.
The driver of the Route 42 minibus was taken into custody.
