Two members of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Artillery Unit who were hospitalised after the explosion of fireworks at the Coast Guard Wharf just over two weeks ago are recuperating and have shown significant signs of improvement.
The injured soldiers are Gordon Cornette, of Plaisance, East Coast Demerara, and Terrence Neil of Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara, both of whom are currently patients of the Burn Care Unit. Cornette had spent just over two weeks in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Georgetown Public Hospital.
Cornette’s sister, Anya Cornette, said that since her brother has been out of the ICU he has been moving about and is able to do some chores for himself.
She added that his recovery has been rapid but his condition is still being closely monitored by the doctors. The sister added that her family is still awaiting an official account of the events that led to the explosion and the GDF has since informed the family that its investigations are still ongoing.
Asked if her brother has related the day’s events to the family, she responded in the negative and said because they are aware of the trauma associated with what occurred they had not asked.
Izetta Gilkes, Neil’s fiancée, also reported that he has displayed positive signs of recovery and said some wounds are close to being completely healed.
She added that he no longer experiences severe pains and that the bandages from his face have been removed.
According to her, Neil had undergone a skin grafting surgery and is being monitored by the doctors.
On Saturday, February 22, eight soldiers who were assembling fireworks in preparation for the 50th republic anniversary celebrations were injured in an explosion at the wharf, located at Ruimveldt.
Of the eight persons, 21331 Corporal Seon Rose, 31, of Friendship, East Coast Demerara passed away in the Intensive Care Unit at around 11.50 am on Sunday. He had sustained burns to 90 per cent of his body.
The five others injured in the explosion were Trevor Joseph, Atto Cort, Victor Low, Delroy Baird and Isaiah Gordon, who have been discharged from the hospital. GDF Chief of Staff Brigadier Patrick West has since ordered a Board of Inquiry to investigate the circumstances surrounding the explosion. The incident also resulted in the cancellation of the annual midnight fireworks display which had been planned for Stabroek Square in Georgetown.
The Guyana Fire Service is also conducting an investigation.
President David Granger had told reporters that he was informed that the explosion occurred as the explosives were being loaded on to barges. “…and something obviously went wrong. One bomb. And it might have triggered a chain effect. So it is not as though there was any sort of carelessness. It might have been some fault with one bomb and it affected another bomb,” Granger said at the conclusion of his visit to the injured soldiers at the hospital.
Rose was laid to rest during the course of last week.
