A father of five was crushed to death yesterday morning following an accident on the East Coast Demerara Public Road at Montrose.
At the time of the accident, Zameer Isfehani called ‘Suresh’, 45, of Leonora, West Coast Demerara, an employee of Puran Brothers Garbage Disposal, was performing his duties as a garbage collector.
Police in a statement said the accident occurred at approximately 5:30 am opposite Apex Academy.
Preliminary investigations have revealed that the garbage truck, GVV 2646, was stationary on the northern side of the road collecting garbage when a motor lorry – GWW 9841 – which was proceeding east along the said road at a fast rate of speed, hit Isfehani.
The impact caused the garbage collector to be pinned at the rear of the garbage truck. He was picked up in an unconscious condition and rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Surveillance footage seen by this newspaper showed that Isfehani and his colleague were working the levers at the back of garbage truck in preparation to dump refuse from a bin. Isfehani was standing on the right side of the truck and as they were engaged in their task, the lorry travelling at a fast rate, crashed into him.
His colleague was unhurt.
Police said that the driver of the lorry, a 52-year-old resident of One Mile Hill Foot Soesdyke, Linden Highway, suffered a heart attack and minor injuries as a result of the accident.
A passenger in the vehicle, Wendell Cort, 46, of Lot 19 Kuru Kururu Soesdyke-Linden Highway sustained a fractured leg and was also taken to the GPH.
Isfehani’s wife Naseedia Khan told Stabroek News that her husband left home at around 4.30 am for work yesterday.
According to her she received a phone call from her husband’s co-worker informing her of the accident. She said the man who initially called, did not relate the seriousness of the accident. The wife said she then contacted another worker and was given the tragic news.
“When I call he, he tell me Zameer get lick up by a truck and he dead… I couldn’t ah do nothing then and I start calling my family…” the distraught woman told Stabroek News.
She stated that her husband had been working at the company for the past two years and has been a dedicated worker. She noted that her husband always put his family first and sought to give them the best life he could.
“He was just so loving. Every morning before he goes to work we sit and drink a cup of tea together. It is very hard to lose our beloved like this. I can’t believe he is gone and would never return home again,” the grieving wife said as she broke down in tears.
The management of Puran Brothers Garbage Disposal in a statement posted on their Facebook page yesterday said: “One of our garbage trucks was parked on the Northern Carriageway while two of our porters were operating at the rear of the truck in the process of carrying out their daily routine. It was then, that a Canter slammed into the rear of the Garbage truck, the impact of which, caused the immediate death of one of our Porters.”
The company assured that their team of workers were in compliance with all Road Safety Acts and Standard Operating Procedures.
The company expressed sympathy to the Isfehani family and said it was saddened by the loss of its employee. It promised to stand by all his loved ones as they mourn his demise.
Managing Director Kalesh Puran told Stabroek News yesterday that in addition to covering the funeral expenses they will be discussing ways of assisting the family.
Puran added that management will be meeting with employees today and will engage them in a counselling session as it has recongised many persons have been traumatised by the accident.
