Poultry farm worker dies after industrial accident

A labourer succumbed to his injuries early Friday morning, less than two days after he was crushed by a metal silo while working at the Shameer’s Poultry Farm located on the Soesdyke/Linden Highway.

Dead is Krishna Surujlall called “Buck man”, 50, a father of four who resided at Lot 2 Soesdyke Public Road, East Bank Demerara. Surujlall had been employed at the farm for less than one year.

Krishna Surujlall

Stabroek News understands that it was around 3 pm on Wednesday while Surujlall and two of his other colleagues were working on the farm that the silo collapsed squeezing him. Surujlall who was in the middle was trapped while his two colleagues managed to escape any harm.

He sustained serious injuries including internal bleeding, fractured bones and broken legs, and was rushed to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre before being transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) the said day. There, he underwent emergency surgery and subsequently succumbed to his injuries around 3 am on Friday.

The dead man’s wife, Nanda Surujlall, yesterday explained to this newspaper that she was at home when she received a call from a worker at the farm informing her of the incident. “The guy who is he friend call and tell me Surujlall fall in an accident but it was not serious and that they at Soesdyke junction getting a taxi to go the hospital that how I must come now,” Nanda said.

As a result, she immediately left for the hospital and when she got there, she saw her husband lying on a stretcher. “It was not until I go the hospital and see him that I get to know how serious really was this accident,” Nanda said.

According to the grieving woman, after Surujlall was transferred to the GPH, doctors performed various tests and ultrasound on him and she was informed that he needed emergency surgery. She said following the surgery, Surujlall was attached to the life support machine until early Friday morning when he succumbed.

Nanda said that she and other family members have since met with officials from Shameer’s Poultry Farm who have offered to cover the funeral expenses.

Surujlall’s body is currently at the GPH mortuary awaiting a post-mortem examination which is scheduled for tomorrow.

He leaves to mourn his wife and four sons.