(Trinidad Guardian) Tragedy struck in San Fernando yesterday, after a worker from the Water and Sewerage Authority died after being buried alive inside a trench about a mile from his home.
Father of two Kern Etienne, 39, of Embacadere, San Fernando, died after a mound of dirt collapsed on top of him as he was standing inside a 12-feet trench near the San Fernando Licensing Authority at Cipero Road, near the Cross Crossing Overpass.
Eight of Etienne’s colleagues frantically clawed through the dirt to try and save him, but by the time he was pulled out he was bleeding from his eyes, ears, nose and mouth.
Speaking at the family’s home yesterday, his twin brother Kerdelle said Etienne was part of a team that was doing emergency repair works connecting a sewer line from the Licensing Office to a main at Cipero Road, San Fernando.
“I spoke to one of the co-workers, who said Kern was like his real brother. That co-worker was the one who told Kern that the mud was caving but then all the mud ended up on top of him. The co-worker went down and tried to dig him out. About eight of them started to dig him out and they raised his head. Then the backhoe came,” Kerdelle said.
He said the information obtained by the family was that proper safety measures were not in place.
“They didn’t put things in place for them to work there. Blood running through his ears and nose, plenty blood. He was not talking, he was dead in the hole. When they carried him to the hospital, they covered back up the hole. Why?” Kerdelle asked.
Etienne’s mother, Joyce Grant-Roberts, said he was supposed to have started working on the project since last week but had arrived late for the job and was told to return to the site yesterday.
“They had sent him home. I told him when things happen, trust God. I told him to be careful and go with God. He told me to send food for him,” she recalled.
Grant-Roberts said she was at home when she got a call that Etienne had an accident at work.
“They said to come to the hospital. When I went up there with my son and daughter the doctor came out and took us in a room. He told us Kern wasn’t responding and they had tried all they could try to save him but couldn’t,” she recalled.
She said WASA officials visited the family and offered condolences.
Etienne was married and had two children.
Robert-Grant said although they got back his clothes, his wallet was still missing.
In a statement late yesterday, WASA confirmed that Etienne was part of a crew carrying out emergency repair works on a sewer pipeline in the area when the accident occurred, trapping him in the trench.
WASA said he was rushed to the San Fernando General Hospital for treatment, where he succumbed to his injuries.
WASA extended sincere condolences to Etienne’s family, friends and co-workers and promised to provide all the required support.
WASA said a full-scale investigation will be conducted by the authority and the relevant agencies.