A TEMPORARY pontoon supporting the western span of the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB) broke yesterday morning, and began taking in water, causing that part of the DHB to collapse. And 47-year-old minibus driver Claude Clark, who was crossing the bridge with his vehicle laden with passengers, thought it was the end for him and the passengers.
Clark said that when he saw the two spans of the bridge towering over his vehicle, he suddenly realised that his bus was heading into the river, and he understandably got confused and could not even loose his seatbelt to exit the vehicle.
The man said he desperately tried to control himself, and was finally able to get the seatbelt loose. He then beat a hasty exit from the vehicle, leaving everyone else trapped in the bus.
His conscience then kicked in before he could have made his way to safety, and he realised that what he was doing was wrong. So, turning back, he began assisting persons out of the vehicle. He had earlier turned the bus engine off.
After helping the passengers out of the bus, he returned to the driver’s seat, started the engine, and managed to get the bus out of what he described as “the foot of a hill or mountain”.
Clark said the passengers’ reaction was indescribable when the bus started going down. In essence, their reaction was one of panic and pandemonium, as they began screaming desperately whilst vehicles began reversing on both sides of the bridge, desperately trying to avoid being hurled into the Demerara River.
Within seconds, the bridge was clustered with persons who had quickly exited vehicles and were opting to get off the bridge before the situation got worst.
Clark explained that he has been plying that route for the past 20 years, and this is the first time he has had such a terrifying experience. He described yesterday morning as the scariest morning of his life, and said that he had run and left the passengers because he thought that once the minibus entered the water, everyone would have been doomed.
Following yesterday’s collapse of the DHB, thousands of commuters on both sides of the river began rushing to the Stabroek and Vreed-en Hoop stellings, desperately trying to board a speed boat to cross the Demerara River. There were, inevitably, persons who were unable to get to the CJIA (airport) on time, while others on scheduled time (appointments, job starting time etc) were naturally inconvenienced.
Chaos reigned supreme, unchallenged by any semblance of orderliness, courtesy or consideration from either speedboat operators or travelling public; whilst the price for crossing the Demerara River was fixed at “easy”.
Getting on to a speedboat over at the Vreed-en-Hoop Stelling did not pose much of a problem, although major safety challenges were involved; in that, regulations notwithstanding, as many passengers as were willing to board the boats were allowed to so do, despite those craft having much more than their complement of passengers.
Some boat operators, to their credit, did not countenance this dangerous practice. Some boat operators saw it merely as “helping out the situation”, but that action elicited mixed reactions from the passengers.
Disembarking the boats also had its fair share of confusion. Everything was far from orderly, and personnel tasked with monitoring the operations of the speed boats between the two stellings had their work cut out for them.
As the boats moored, everyone wanted to be the first to disembark, and the less able-bodied had to wait until the rush had subsided before they could leave the boats. Some senior citizens and mothers with babies were forced to push their way through persons to get off the boats, while others chose to wait it out.
As the boats arrived, monitors in charge unsuccessfully attempted to bring some order to disembarking, but boats allowed in to offload used the opportunity to reload, in total disregard for the turn system that monitors were trying to effect.
Contacted yesterday morning, Police ‘A’ Division Commander George Vyphuis said his ranks visited the Stabroek Stelling to assess the situation, and were able to ascertain that the unfortunate circumstances were responsible for the chaotic situation that obtained.
Yesterday afternoon, Police ‘A’ Division dispatched ranks to monitor the situation and try to ensure the safety of commuters and their personal effects, especially from pick-pockets.
In a press conference yesterday, Mr. Rawlston Adams, General Manager of the Demerara Harbour Bridge, was asked about any arrangement to alleviate the situation at the stellings, especially since boats are mandated to cease plying the river at the stroke of 18:00 hrs daily.
Adams responded that there are approximately 16,000 persons who daily use the DHB, and that the DHB will be working with the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) to see how best the commuters can be allowed to move between Regions 3 and 4.