An East Street, Georgetown couple escaped serious injury yesterday afternoon after a defective utility pole broke at its base and crashed just in front of their car.
Simone Baburam, still shocked from what she described as a “near death experience”, told Stabroek News that the car was parked in its usual place in front their home. She and her husband had just exited the yard when she heard a sudden sound.
“My husband was opening his door on the right side and I was headed to the passenger’s side on the left. I heard this sound but I didn’t take it for anything and then the next thing I knew this pole just come slamming down on the car’s bonnet inches away from where I was standing…I am still shocked to know that had I taken another step the thing would’ve hit me,” Baburam related.
The woman said that several of her relatives rushed to the front verandah after hearing the loud impact of wood against metal. It was one of them who called the Guyana Power and Light Company (GPL) to report the incident.
When Stabroek News arrived at the scene the pole was still on the car and a deep crack could be seen in Baburam’s front concrete fence. A GPL crew was also present removing wires. Despite this, Baburam said that the GPL workers told her that the pole belonged to the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T).
The base of the pole, from where it broke, appeared to be damp and rotten. Baburam says that the post has been there for years and she has no idea when last it was changed.
“These companies need to realize that posts they are using are made of wood and while it is strong wood which lasts for a long time they still need to make periodic checks on their condition,” Baburam said.
Meanwhile, when contacted yesterday a GPL official told this newspaper that they were still investigating whether the pole belonged to them.
Allison Parker, GT&T’s Public Relations Officer, told Stabroek News that she was doubtful that the post was that company’s property but would look into the matter. “It is highly unlikely that it is one of our posts,” Parker stated, “because if it were the GPL crew would not have stayed to remove and fix wires without informing us of the incident.”
