One person was confirmed dead following an accident along the Zeeburg Public Road on the West Coast of Demerara (WCD) yesterday afternoon.
The Guyana Police Force identified the deceased as Gaitree Sewsankar, a 37- year-old female from Sister’s Village, West Bank Demarara, who was a pedestrian.
In a statement, the police said the accident occurred at around 14:30 hrs and involved a motor lorry, #GWW 6801, driven by Christopher Rufino, a 31-year-old of Ruimzeight Garden, West Coast Demarara; and minibus, #BTT 1676, owned and driven by Vickram Persaud, a 62-year-old of Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo; and minibus # BAB 1864, owned by Gary Aaron, of Uitvlugt and driven by Devon Daziel, a 35-year-old of Vergenoegen, East Bank Essequibo.
The police said their enquiries disclosed that minibus BAB 1864 was heading east along the northern side of the road at a fast rate of speed when an unknown car, which was heading in front of the minibus, turned left into School Street, Zeeburg. The driver of the minibus swerved to avoid colliding with the car and while doing so he collided with the lorry, which was heading west in the opposite direction.
As a result of the collision, minibus BAB 1864 crashed into minibus BTT 1676, which was parked on the northern side, and then hit two pedestrians.
Sewsankar ended up under minibus BAB1864. “All passengers including the driver and pedestrian were seriously injured and they were taken to Leonora Cottage Hospital by passerby vehicles where they were all treated and the pedestrian was pronounced dead by the doctor on duty,” the statement added.
The driver of minibus BAB 1864, along with three of the passengers, Imtiaz Ishmeal, Sydney Stephen and Raysidea Marian, were transferred to the West Demerara Regional Hospital, where they were further treated by the doctors on duty.
The body of the deceased woman was later taken to the Ezekiel Mortuary for storage and post-mortem examination.
The drivers were tested for alcohol and no trace of alcohol was found, the police added.
In a video which was circulated by the Guyana Police Force’s Corporate Communications Unit, the victim was seen stuck under the bus between the right front wheel and its fender. Passengers in the bus were heard crying out.
The driver of the bus was seen still seated in the driver’s seat in a bloody state as the Police and public-spirited persons tried to assist. Public-spirited persons were seen lifting some of the passengers who were seated at the back of the bus through the rear door.
