A second man has died from the group of five workers on whom a tree fell as they were working in a mining pit at Upper Barama, Moruca Sub-Region, North West Region, on Monday. Dead is 26-year-old Ewart Alleyne (Jnr), also known as Mikey, of Grant Two Friends, Lower Pomeroon, and formerly of Supply Mahaica, East Coast Demerara.
The first man to have died was identified as “Anand’ of East Coast Demerara.  He perished immediately on being struck by the falling tree.
Meanwhile, Alleyne, who suffered severe head injuries, was rushed to the Charity Hospital where he was given initial treatment before being transferred to the Suddie Regional Hospital, Essequibo Coast.
But as the injured man’s condition deteriorated, he was yesterday air-dashed to the city and was pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital.
Evacuated to the city along with him was his younger brother Seon, who was injured in a speed boat mishap on Monday night while on his way from the Pomeroon to offer help to his injured brother Mikey and others in the North West District.
Relatives of the Alleyne brothers, based on an account given by Seon, related that Seon and two others, on hearing the tragic news of the death of Anand and injury to his brother and others, set out for the scene of the accident. On their way to Barama, the lights on the boat failed and the vessel crashed into a tree and capsized. In the mishap, Seon’s left foot was severely chopped by the propeller of the outboard motor.
It was around 20:30 hrs when they encountered difficulty, but because of the remoteness of the area, on a ‘pitch black night’, they were forced to stay moored to the tree. Several hours later a boat came by. They were rescued and transported to the Charity Hospital.
Among the others injured in Monday’s incident, were 17-year-old Heston Boyce and Jason Williams, both of Charity Housing Scheme, who suffered head and back injuries. Heston Boyce also suffered a broken left hand. They were both admitted to the Suddie Hospital.
Meanwhile, Clifford Joseph of Friendship, Lower Pomeroon River, and Steve Dutchin, who were also working in the mining pit at the time of the accident, escaped unhurt.
Police have since been dispatched to the mine to commence their investigations.  Officials of the Ministry of Labour are also expected to visit the area soon.
This newspaper understands that, like previous cases in which miners were killed in gold mining pits, caution was not exercised, and heavy equipment were being operated in the area close to where the men were working in the pit.