THE Ministry of Labour (MoL) and the Guyana Police Force (GPF) have both launched investigations into Tuesday’s industrial accident at the Edward Beharry and Company Ltd’s Mandela Avenue location, which claimed the life of a senior supervisor. Dead is 32-year-old Mark Gomes of Long Pond, West Bank Demerara. According to reports, the incident occurred at 17:50hrs. Gomes, at the time, was on duty supervising the transfer of flour from a pressure tank, mounted on a truck, to a silo. During the process, the pressure tank is said to have started to make whistling sounds, which prompted Gomes to climb onto the back of the truck to investigate. A hose that was connected to the tank and the silo subsequently became disconnected.

“Reports reaching the Ministry of Labour indicated that the deceased was investigating a hissing sound which emanated from the flour tanker when the cover of the left side pipe blew off, hitting him and caused him to be knocked off the tank,” a statement from the Ministry disclosed. Gomes was picked up and taken to the Woodlands Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival by a doctor. The body is presently at the Memorial Gardens Parlour awaiting a post-mortem examination. The GPF, as part of its investigations, is reviewing CCTV footage of the incident. According to the MoL, its Senior Occupational Safety and Health Officer, Roydon Croal, of the Occupational Safety and Health Department, has commenced investigations into the circumstances of the accident and its investigations are also continuing.