The impact of the falling tree sent the minibus slamming
into the motorcycle and the bus came to a halt some distance
away crashing against a concrete structure.
The motorcyclist and pillion rider were hurled off the
cycle and several passengers were trapped in the wrecked
minibus.
The man said that he then rushed over and helped pull
five persons to safety. He described the accident scene as
gruesome.
"I could not believe my eyes when I saw what was
before me. People covered in blood, some of them unable to
move. I almost fainted when I saw a woman's foot hanging
from her leg."
The man said that he attempted to remove the front seat
passengers but had to call for assistance. The driver was
knocked unconscious while two women were pinned into their
seats. After some time the three were removed and taken to
hospital along with the others.
As news of the accident spread, relatives flocked the
Georgetown Hospital and chaos later broke out in the
emergency area when relatives were denied entry to the
treatment room.
Injured are Travis Walton, 25, of 175 Pineapple Street,
East Ruimveldt; Clement Johnson, 44, of 38 North East La
Penitence; Bishal Waterman, 31, of 2 Walker Terrace; Juliet
Chappelle, 38, of 50 West La Penitence; Jermaine Sutton, 24,
of 14 West Ruimveldt; David McKenzie, 53, of 76 Castello
Housing Scheme; Isha Jones, 16, of 648 West Ruimveldt;
Courtney Abrams, 30, of the same address; Lynette Primo, 56,
of 45 East La Penitence and Leon Bailey, 19, of 53 Princes
Street, Lodge.
Johnson was driving the minibus, Walton was the conductor
and Abrams and Jones were on the motorcycle.
The driver who is nursing injuries to the head said he
tried to escape the falling tree but was unsuccessful. He
related that the tree went crashing down so quickly that
there was nowhere to go.
Johnson said that he spotted the motorcyclist but would
not have imagined that the two vehicles would have collided
with each other. He explained that after the tree hit the
minibus he looked ahead and saw the motorcycle in his path.
Motorcyclist, Abrams, was listed as critical with
injuries to the spine, legs and head. His cousin, Isha,
escaped with a few bruises to the arms.
She told Stabroek News that the tree hit the motorcycle
when Abrams attempted to swerve. The young woman said that
the bike then collided with the minibus and both she and
Abrams were hurled onto the road.
Passengers, Waterman and Chappelle were the two women
trapped in the front seat. Chappelle suffered injuries to
the legs and chest while Waterman received internal
injuries. Her leg was almost severed but doctors managed to
re-attach it.
