MAJOR HIGHWAY DISASTER AVERTED

Several children among more than 20 passengers injured
— as speeding, over-loaded minibus topples several times as it careened off Soesdyke/Linden highway

MORE than 20 passengers were injured when a speeding minibus careened off the Soesdyke/Linden Highway shortly after 19:00 hrs last evening.

The group, comprising members of an extended City-based family, was at the time returning from an outing at the creek when the incident occurred.


 


INJURED: Hemant Ram with his one-year-old daughter, Ashley, at the Georgetown Public Hospital last night. (Adrian Narine photo)

Reports are that, in the vicinity of an area called ‘Friendship’ on the Linden/Soesdyke Highway, the driver of the route 42 minibus reportedly lost control of the vehicle which toppled several times before coming to a standstill.

Injured passenger, Hemant Ram, 19, of Albouystown, Georgetown – who is an employee of the Guyana Chronicle – said the incident happened so quickly that he was not too sure what exactly happened.

Ram said he only went on the family outing to the creek because his wife, Melissa Khan, was going with his one-year-old daughter, Ashley.

“I repeatedly told the driver to reduce the speed but he ignored my pleas and the bus ran off the road and all the children in the minibus pitch forward; fortunately no one died,” a visibly shaken Ram – still-dazed and bleeding through the nose — told this newspaper at the Georgetown Public Hospital last night.

Some of the passengers injured are Melissa Khan, Shivanie Lall, Carl Kumar, Devindra Lall, Anraz Lall, Heera Lall, Nero Lall, Hemant Ram, Nearajan Lall, Yearaj Lall, Shoba Lall, Solamie Lall, Seeranie Lall, Jamattie Lall, Haly, Tia, Stacy and Felicia Lall.

Four other passengers decided to seek medical attention at a private hospital last night.

The driver, who was reportedly under the influence, was taken into police custody. (Michel Outridge)

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