-two injured
An ambulance en route from the East Bank to the Georgetown Public Hospital ended up in a three vehicle smash-up at the corner of Hadfield and Smythe streets yesterday that left two persons injured.
One of the vehicles, a land cruiser working for the Teaching Service Commission (TSC), slammed into a Guyana Power and Light (GPL) pole, which broke and crashed into two roadside shops on the corner resulting in damage. The scene was chaotic yesterday after the badly smashed vehicles came to a rest. Persons ran to safety and electrical wires dangled from the pole.
Those injured included the driver of the TSC vehicle, Leonard Harry and pedestrian, Roxanne Dawson. The two suffered minor injuries but Dawson is believed to have broken a leg. She was on her way to work when the TSC vehicle slammed into her following the collision with the ambulance.
“One time I was walking the next I am at the hospital. I just felt an impact as I was about to cross the road and next thing I know, I am at the hospital injured”, Dawson said yesterday.
Eyewitnesses at the scene were adamant yesterday that the accident could have been avoided had the TSC vehicle heeded the sound of the approaching ambulance siren.
Stabroek News arrived on the scene a few minutes after the accident occurred at 9:50 am to find the wrecked vehicles and persons discussing what had happened. But the two shop owners, at that time, were concerned about the live wires that were dangling. Power was subsequently cut to the area.
One of the shop owners, who identified herself as Yvonne, said she heard the ambulance before she saw it. The woman said the ambulance was approaching Smythe Street coming west along Hadfield Street while the TSC vehicle was going south along Smythe Street. According to her, the ambulance was blazing through with the sirens sounding off and when it reached Smythe Street, the collision occurred.
The impact sent the TSC vehicle crashing into another car that was travelling west along Hadfield Street and had approached the junction. After colliding with that car, the TSC vehicle hit Dawson and then smashed into the GPL pole.
“I was in me shop when this thing happen so fast I couldn’t run, nothing. Thank God it only fall on the roof “, the woman related.
She could not recall where Dawson was but recounted that the woman was hit by the land cruiser and was knocked unconscious for a short while. The shop owner said the incident was frightening particularly when the pole fell.
Stabroek News spoke with the ambulance driver who did not wish to be named. The man said he was transporting a patient from Diamond to the public hospital in the city and would usually take High Street into Avenue of the Republic when making such trips. But yesterday he said High Street was too congested so he diverted into Hadfield Street. According to him, the siren was on since he left Diamond and from there to the city he was given the right away. He recalled seeing the TSC vehicle but pointed out that it was already too late for him to avoid the collision.
“I could not stop, the siren was on. I did not expect to see him there, it was just so sudden”, he related.
The driver said the patient travelling down managed to escape with a few bruises and was doing okay when she was taken away from the scene.
Shortly after the accident GPL arrived on the scene with a new pole and was working on it up until yesterday afternoon. Many residents in the area said they old pole needed changing a long time now but despite complaints made to the power company nothing was done.
“We had to get accident on this corner and the pole had to break before they come and change it”, a woman commented.
