-traffic badly hit
A weakened portion of a decking plate on the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB) gave way under the weight of a truck yesterday afternoon, ripping off the rear wheels of the vehicle, which collided with a car and left two persons injured.
The incident, which occurred shortly after 3 pm yesterday, forced the Bridge to be closed to vehicular traffic for about two hours following which one-way traffic was allowed to proceed. Two persons were injured during the incident and were taken to the hospital.
Pedestrians watch the damaged truck and car as another truck arrives to try to move the first truck. It failed and another truck equipped with a mini-crane had to be summoned to this accident on the Demerara Harbour Bridge yesterday.
Navin Samaroo, 17, suffered a broken arm after falling off the truck. Mookram Doodnauth, who was in the car also suffered a few injuries and was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital.
The deteriorating state of the bridge, the major link between Regions Four and Three, has been a source of concern for many persons, with President Bharrat Jagdeo recently blasting the state of it. Over $680M has since been approved for works to be done on the structure.
Driver of the truck, Praim Narayan told Stabroek News that he was heading to Parika to catch the 6 pm boat when, as he neared the western end, a portion of the decking plate, gave way under the right wheel of the truck, with the other end of the plate raising up. The upraised end cut the steering mechanisms under the body of the truck, including the brakes. He said that he lost control and as he tried to avoid oncoming vehicles, the truck slid cross-way across the bridge. It was then that the rear wheels snapped off. “The differential pelt out”, Narayan said. Samaroo, who along with Ravindra Mansingh, 18, and Buffy Narayan, were in the tray of the truck, fell off.
At the same time, Khemraj Shiv was heading in the opposite direction in his car. He said that he observed as the oncoming truck swayed from side to side on the bridge. He tried to avoid the imminent collision. “I brakes up and he come straight on top me”, he stated. “I din get a chance to reverse”. Shiv and his wife were in the front seats, while Doodnauth was in the back seat. The Shivs, who were heading to the hospital to visit a neighbor, escaped injury. Doonauth, who was crying out in pain, was taken to the hospital by another motorist.
The portion of the weakened decking which caused the accident.
Narayan said that he had just collected some items from Food for the Poor to take to Essequibo. These included tent poles and “gifts”.
When Stabroek News arrived at the bridge, it had already been closed and traffic was building up as more vehicles arrived to cross over. Many commuters, unwilling to wait, opted to walk to the other side. DHB officials were on hand and after a while a truck, equipped with a mini-crane, was brought to the location and shifted the damaged truck to one side.
By then almost two hours had passed and one lane was then open to traffic while the decking underwent emergency repairs. When this reporter, had walked on the bridge on the way to the scene, it was noticed that many areas of the decking were deteriorating.
Up to last evening, emergency repairs were still ongoing and owing to the limited buses crossing over, many commuters who live on the West Coast Demerara were left stranded.
what a difference, the police allowed spectators on the bridge not caring for their own safety, typical of guyanese to observe without worrying or have any concern of the consequences of the aftermath.
Is this another MAJOR accident waiting to happen????? Thank God just two were injured. What would have happened was this rush hour?
This bridge has outlived it’s life expectancy and should have been replaced,,,the cost of the upkeep would have been enough to build a new one…be careful when travelling on this bridge
disagree with u badlall, has the brooklyn bridge outlived its life expectancy?, which has been around much longer that the dhb, the dhb is wanting of periodical maintainance which would elimanate structural breakdown, i believe that if the govt consult with the people responsible for the construction of the dhb it would last forever.
Drivers pay a high price to use this bridge, what is happening to the money???
Nice question. This bridge with proper maintenance could be as good as new. We always wait until a tragedy to take action. This is the land we love.
this is down right lawlessness. one bridge to cross over to the west bank . the otheraccess is by the speed boats. when the bridge broke down its takes hours and even days to be back into operation, meanwhile persons living on the coast has to be stranded until the brigde repaired. its time for another way off ingress and egress. build another one. dont say its costly because you already use up a hugh chunk of cash on Carifesta.
MY LITTLE INPUT. MY HOUSE, WHERE I WAS BORN & GREW IS ON THE EASTERN SIDE OF THE DHB. FROM THE INSEPTION OF CONSTRUCTION OF THIS BRIDGE THERE WERE MANY MISHAPS. TO BEGIN, A PORTION OF IT FLOATED AWAY FOR ABOUT ONE MILE TO TOOLSIE PERSAUD LTD. IN THE EARLY EIGHTIES, MY NEPHEW WAS OPERATING THE RETRACTOR SPAN[OPENING] FOR SHRIMP TRAWLERS TO PASS, WITHOUT THE BRIDGE BEING CLOSED TO VEHLICULAR TRAFFIC. HOW CAN SUCH THINGS HAPPEN? IS PROPER TRAINING, PREVENTITIVE MAINT. HEALTH &SAFETY ALONG THESE GUIDELINES NOT BEING IMPLIMENTED? SAD. I HAVE SAID BEFORE, YOU CANNOT DO….WHAT YOU DON”T KNOW.
I am sorry for those poor people.
A few years ago I would ride from the West Bank to Georgetown
on this bridge. And except for the unplanned openings it was great.
Now its degradation is leading to trucks falling through it’s decking.
Although it has outlived its designed requirements, the government
should study of its repairs costs and safety against its replacement,
with a fixed/permanent structure.
Recently while in Guyana one of the plates destroyed a tire on the
vehicle I was driving. They should hasten the current repairs as a
temporary solution.
how heavy was that truck? isn’t there a weight limit on the bridge? after all it is a floating bridge.
When all is said and done, the maintenance of this brideg has been neglected for quite a while so it has deteriorated considerably.
It may well be a good financial idea to replace rather than refurbish it. A proper survey would make that determination which it will be.
I would ask where was Minister Benn (of Stop the monument construction fame) while this bridge was either no or not properly maintained???
More proof of the reactive management style of our government!
He is busy looking to see what Hamilton Green doing..lol
I drove across this bridge quite recently.
It is a frightening experience and a disaster just waiting to happen!!!!
I think the Toll you ppl pay should be put to building a new bridge…….
It is sad that those people had their vehicles damaged but I am glad they are alright. It is a pity that suing the harbor bridge mangement would be a waste of time …afterall……you can’t try the devil’s case in hell.