FOUR persons have been confirmed dead yesterday in two separate accidents in Berbice, sending not only the immediate families of those who died into mourning but an entire country, especially at this time of the year when things are supposed to be ‘festive’. 

One of the accidents occurred around 21:00 hrs on Tuesday on the No. 6 Public Road, West Coast Berbice, which resulted in the death of  Deva ‘Pash’ Jeinarine, 35, of Bath, WCB; and Rakesh Sukdeo, 33, of Bush Lot, WCB.
Investigations have revealed that Jeinarine was driving motor car PMM 8763 along the roadway allegedly at a fast rate of speed, when he lost control of the vehicle and collided with a lamp pole.
Jeinarine and Rakesh Sukdeo, who was a passenger in the car, received injuries and were taken to the Fort Wellington Hospital where they were pronounced dead on arrival.

Chaitram Mangru, 27, of Bush Lot Village, WCB, who went to render assistance to the injured persons, unfortunately came into contact with a live electrical wire and was electrocuted.
Meanwhile, eyewitness to the accident Esram Ramkissoon said that he was in the vehicle driven by Mangru, with the one driven by his friend Jienarine travelling behind them.

Both vehicles were heading from Rosignol to Bush Lot, West Coast Berbice.
He said both vehicles were at #6 Village, West Coast Berbice and heading west when he heard a loud smashing sound.

He looked round and realised that the vehicle driven by Jienarine had crashed into a lantern post at the side of the road.

Mangru immediately turned his vehicle around and they raced back to the crash site.
There they saw Jienarine thrown out of the vehicle and lying on the parapet.
He appeared to be dead.

Ramkissoon said that at this point they realised that Sookdeo was still inside the mangled vehicle which had ended up in a drain alongside the road.
He said he told Mangru that he would and get Sookdeo out but Mangru said that he would try and rescue Sookedeo.
Mangru then stepped into the drain where the vehicle had lodged and immediately started gasping for breath and collapsed.

Ramkisson said he saw that Mangru had stepped on an exposed wire.
Mourning the loss of his very good friend, Ramkisson added: “If I had gone there as intended I would have been under ice right now.”

Meanwhile, the police are investigating a fatal accident that occurred at about 19:45 hrs, also on Tuesday night, on the No. 29 Public Road, WCB,

and which resulted in the death of Yonette Branche, 16, of Mc Kenzie Street, Rosignol, West Bank Berbice (WBB).
Investigations have revealed that the driver of motor car, PLL 4691, was proceeding along the roadway, allegedly at a

fast rate of speed, when he lost control of the vehicle and collided with a parked motor canter.

Yonette Branche, who was in the motor car received injuries and was taken to the Fort Wellington Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival.

The driver is in police custody assisting with the investigation.

Blanche was a student of the New Amsterdam Multilateral School who had gone with her parents to uplift a barrel and two boxes of gifts sent to her by her aunt who lives overseas.
The family had collected the items in Georgetown and were on their way home around 20:00 hrs when the wagon driven by her father, Alfred, collided with a parked Canter on the side of the road at # 29 village West Coast Berbice.
Reports suggested that the older Blanche had been dazzled by the lights of an incoming vehicle and had pulled into the corner without seeing the vehicle parked alongside the road.

(By Michel Outridge and Clifford Stanley)