House collapses after Ruby accident

With the walls of his house literally crumbling, Mohamed Kazim Hanif is upset.
Hanif is the owner of the Lot 12 Ruby, East Bank Essequibo house that was damaged when two cars slammed into its front supporting posts, leaving one of the drivers dead and a passenger injured.

He told Stabroek News that efforts were made to “jack the house up” yesterday but portions of the walls collapsed as a result. They were forced to rip most of the house apart, the man explained. “We trying to jack it up hoping that it would help but the wall falling off,” a frustrated Hanif said. “We’re still staying with relatives and I’m not sure what our next move will be.”

Relatives of those involved in the accident, Hanif said, had visited them and said they couldn’t “afford” to provide compensation. Hanif has since heard nothing from anyone about the incident.

“I am a reasonable man,” he said, “I am willing to give them a few days to tell me something… they can’t afford to compensate me and I can’t afford to rebuild so what do I do?”

The man’s reputed wife Bibi Shazeeda Karim had reported that they were asleep in the upper flat of their home when they were awakened by “a loud noise.” Three posts made of concrete blocks, which supported the front of the upper flat wooden home, were completely torn away when the vehicles skidded “right through them.” Karim had expressed disbelief when told by her husband that two cars were under their house.  “Two cars under the house, that is what my husband said to me after we were awakened by a loud noise,” Karim said Sunday afternoon. “At first I couldn’t believe him…I mean how could two cars end up under our house?”

The deceased, Ramesh Sookhdeo, called ‘Jerry,’ 26, of Lot 1 Parika Facade, EBE, was heading home some time after 1 am on Sunday when he lost control of his vehicle. The car, according to reports, “ripped away” three fences and smashed into the posts of the Ruby home, located along the roadway.

Police, in a press statement issued later that day had said they are investigating the “fatal accident,” which occurred at about 1.45 am.  Investigations, the release had stated, revealed that motor car PKK 1134, reportedly driven by Sookhdeo, “attempted to overtake motor car PLL 5706, which was being driven by Romeo Randolph, and in doing so struck the rear of PLL 5706.” As a result both drivers lost control of their vehicles.

Sookhdeo, according to reports, was thrown from the vehicle and sustained injuries. He was taken to the West Demerara Regional Hospital (WDRH) where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Richard Whyte, a passenger in Sookhdeo’s vehicle, sustained injuries as well. Whyte, 27, of Hydronie, Parika was rushed to the WDRH and later transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he remained up to yesterday afternoon.

Whyte was transferred from the Intensive Care Unit to the Male Surgical Ward yesterday. Relatives reported that the man “seems to be out of danger now” and “appears to be improving”.

Meanwhile, Stabroek News understands that the surviving driver, Randolph, is in police custody and is expected to be released on station bail today. Police have not indicated whether charges will be laid against the man.