Children injured after school bus toppled in West Berbice accident

BNN 8359, which was also involved in the accident, outside of the Weldaad Police Station.
BNN 8359, which was also involved in the accident, outside of the Weldaad Police Station.

Almost three dozen persons, including school children, were left nursing injuries yesterday morning in an accident involving three minibuses at Rising Sun, West Coast Berbice.

Six children, with the youngest only three years old, were hospitalised in Georgetown as a result.

According to a police statement, the accident, which occurred around 8.50 am, involved two Route 50 minibuses BHH 5558 and BTT 2426, reportedly driven by Erlex Felix and David Nazir, respectively, and a Route 63 minibus BNN 8359, reportedly driven by Alpha Felix.

According to the police, BHH 5558 was being used as a school bus and was transporting students of the Little Treasures Primary Academy and Pre- School at the time.

The police said that at the time of the accident, all three of the buses were proceeding west, with BHH 5558 in front, followed by BNN 8359 and BTT 2426. It is alleged that Nazir was in the process of overtaking Alpha Felix’s bus when he observed that another vehicle was approaching in the lane. Nazir, police say, attempted to pull back and in the process, he collided with the other two buses, which toppled.

However, eyewitness reports gathered by Stabroek News suggested that the school bus was parked on the western side of the Rising Sun road when one of the other vehicles was attempting to overtake the other but clipped it instead. It then toppled into the school bus, which also toppled as a result of the impact of the collision.

The police said that as a result of the accident, 29 persons, comprising 15 adults and 14 children, sustained injuries and were rushed to the Mahaicony and Fort Wellington hospitals.

The children who were seriously injured were later transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH).

Six of the children at GPH are Vantiasa Saul, 3; Renia Glasgow, 5; Malik Duncan, 5; Haden Joseph, 5; Lorel Marks, 5; and Enriques Luis, 9. According to a Ministry of Public Health statement, the students’ injuries ranged from head trauma to non-life-threatening injuries to the neck and lower parts of their bodies.

Stabroek News understands that most of the children were crying out for pain in their hands and legs. However, police have confirmed that the children are stable, with no suspected fractured limbs.

According to traffic policeman Timothy Williams, all three of the drivers are in police custody at Weldaad Police Station assisting with the investigation.