Six persons were injured last evening and rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital after the minibus in which they were travelling ran off the East Bank Public Road opposite Rahaman’s Rent-A-Tent facility, hit the side of a bridge and remained trapped over a trench for almost one hour as rescuers fought to free them from the vehicle.

Mark Chapman, 42, of 33 Farm, Mahaicony on the East Coast Demerara was the last person rescued from the vehicle as civic-minded persons worked at getting commuters out of the bus.

Chapman, a passenger in the front seat, had his legs pinned beneath the smashed dashboard and it took some time to free him.

Others injured and treated at the hospital were Agnes Phang, 71, of 105 Second Street, Alberttown; Debra Singh, 46, and Bharrat Sugrim, 31, – both of Better Hope, East Coast Demerara; Gertrude Dash, 45,of Lamaha Street, Newtown; Yonette Walcott, 61, of 17 Hadfield Street, Lodge; and Lakpaul Ramnarine , 45, of 54 Garden of Eden, on the East Bank Demerara.

Traffic in the vicinity ground to a halt as rescue equipment was rushed to the scene, and it took the combined efforts of scores of able-bodied men, a Model-M Bush truck, a fork lift and crash-truck to pull the vehicle from its trapped position, eventually freeing the Chapman.

The accident occurred around 18:45 hours, as the route number 42 bus was proceeding from Supply, East Bank Demerara to the East bank bus park, Stabroek. Eye witnesses said the driver of the bus was trying to avoid hitting a woman and a child crossing the road when his vehicle ran off the road and ploughed into the bridge.
The driver was taken into police custody.