(Trinidad Express) Warring gangs took their fight from the dancehall to the Sangre Grande District Hospital on Sunday morning, forcing doctors and nurses to scamper for safety and lock themselves in various rooms to avoid being injured.
According to the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Eastern Regional Health Authority, Anand Daniel, a group of men arrived at the hospital with an injured friend around 3 am. The man began behaving in a “rowdy manner” and demanded that he be treated immediately. The man, whose identity was not given, was eventually taken into an examination room for treatment to several lacerations and cuts to his face.
However, as he was being treated another car drove into the hospital’s car-park. Another group of men came out the vehicle and demanded to see the man brought in for treatment.
By this time the hospital’s four security guards approached this group and pleaded with them to show some restraint. However, the men then attacked the first group of men as they tried to get at the injured man.
A third car arrived with more men and the usually serene hospital was turned into a battle zone as the two warring groups a pitched battle inside the hospital
“They all threw around chairs and trolleys and even a computer. Staff scampered for safety, doctors and nurses went into their own areas,” Daniel said.
Other patients were left untouched by the men during the melee.
“They were not harmed in any way,” the CEO said.
Daniel said he was told the three carloads of people were all at a party in the area which apparently got rowdy, leading to one man being stabbed. He said the police eventually arrived on the scene and brought some order to the hospital. It was not known if any arrests were made.
Health Minister Therese Baptiste-Cornelis visited the hospital, spoke to staff members and advised them to use the counselling sessions that would be made available to them soon.
The injured man was subsequently transferred to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex under heavy security provided by the Amalgamated Security Company. Security has also been beefed up at the Sangre Grande hospital.
