Firemen injured after truck crashes at De Kinderen

The impact of the collision caused severe damage to a section of the building, which is being constructed to house a daycare. (Photo courtesy of Rocky Singh)

Five firemen were hospitalised yesterday after the fire tender they were travelling in crashed into a building at De Kinderen, West Coast Demerara.

Those injured as a result of the accident are the driver, Section Leader Troy Gravesande, 45, and firemen Adrian Benjamin, 24, Quinton Damon, 36, Errol Hyman, 42, and Bryant Bobb, 20.

The Guyana Police Force, in a statement, said the accident occurred just around 2.30 pm, when fire tender PRR 1635, which had responded to a fire at Parika, East Bank Essequibo and was returning to the Leonora Fire Station, veered off the road and crashed into a Day Care Centre under construction at De Kinderen, West Coast Demerara.

It was further noted that the fire tender suffered extensive damage and its occupants were admitted as patients at the West Demerara Regional Hospital, where they were said to be in stable condition, nursing injuries about their bodies. 

Less than two hours before the accident, the same fire tender allegedly caused a truck to crash into a utility pole in the vicinity of Barnwell, East Bank Essequibo.

Motor lorry GLL 3201, which crashed into a utility pole at Barnwell, E.B.E, after allegedly being overtaken by the fire engine. (Photo taken from the West Demerara Road Safety Council’s Facebook page.)

According to information posted on the Facebook Page of the West Demerara Road Safety Council, the accident occurred at 1 pm, when the fire tender, which was identified by its licence plate, had overtaken motor lorry GLL 3201, which is owned by BK International.

The driver of the lorry explained that he was heading to Parika when he suddenly noticed a fire engine overtaking him on the solid double line, going head on into a minibus which was coming in the opposite direction.

“After seeing the danger, the driver reportedly took defensive action to avoid a head on collision and stepped on his brakes which immediately locked up, causing [the lorry] to start skidding on the wet road surface,” the Facebook post read.

As result, the driver said he lost control and spun off the road and hit the utility pole. It was also alleged that the fire engine did not have its siren on at time and that it failed to stop after the accident occurred. No one was injured.