A 34-year-old man died on Sunday morning after the fuel tanker that he was operating overturned along the Buck Hall, Tapir Trail while he was transporting fuel to the Aurora Gold Mine (AGM).
Dead is Atewick De Freitas, called “Etto,” a resident of Kuru Kuru, Soesdyke-Linden Highway.
De Freitas was employed by Trail Boss Interior Trucking Services Inc, the company which is contracted by AGM to transport fuel to its mine.
The accident occurred sometime between 7.30 am and 8.30 am on Sunday.
De Freitas was pronounced dead at the scene.
In a press release, the Guyana Goldfields Inc announced that AGM, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the company, received reports of the fatal incident.
It said that an investigation has since been launched to determine the cause of the accident.
The police, in a press release yesterday, said that investigations revealed that the tanker, GVV 7176, was proceeding south along the trail at a fast rate of speed when it is alleged that De Freitas lost control of the vehicle. As a result, the fuel tanker turned turtle and went down a ditch.
De Freitas was flung out of the vehicle.
Guyana Goldfields Inc. said that the tanker was one of three heading to the Aurora mine.
According to the release, an AGM emergency response team was dispatched to the scene after receiving a report of the accident.
The company’s Interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Allen Palmiere, in the press release, noted that safety is the company highest priority and therefore frequent occupational health and safety training is conducted.
Palmiere, the statement added, said that that accident is the first of such nature to have occurred while fuel was being transported off-site to Aurora.
The CEO also expressed condolences to the family and friends of De Freitas.
“We are deeply saddened by this tragic accident and our condolences go to his family. Our immediate focus is to support his family, friends and colleagues at this most difficult time,” he was quoted as saying.
