Skeldon Estate welder burned by collapsed steam pipe

A welder of the Skeldon Sugar Estate sustained first and second degree burns on Thursday afternoon after a “steam pipe” collapsed.
Gopaul Khurcand, 34, of Line Path, Skeldon, was rushed to the Skeldon Hospital and was immediately transferred to the New Amsterdam Hospital. He was discharged yesterday.

His mother, Shantawattee Khurcand said he left home at 3:45 pm to go to work. Around 5:30 pm, an official from the estate went to her home and asked for her husband and daughter-in-law.

He then related that her son had suffered burns while working. Just after that, an ambulance stopped to pick up her daughter-in-law to accompany the injured man to the hospital.

The woman said she started to scream when she saw her son’s condition as he was lying in the ambulance. His face was black and swollen and he was crying out in pain. He also complained of his vision being “blurry.”

She said even after he was discharged from hospital he was still not seeing clearly and she has to take him to be examined by an eye specialist.

Gopaul was reportedly welding when the “steam pipe overhead burst and the water scorched him.” His mother is thankful that he was wearing a helmet at the time.

Meanwhile, another worker was also slightly burnt and was admitted to the Skeldon Hospital. He has also been discharged.

Last week, another Skeldon Estate worker, Dyanand Singh, sustained severe burns to his hands while working on the boiler. He was admitted as a patient at the New Amsterdam Hospital.