One dead, 21 mourners injured in truck accident

Last Updated on Saturday, 26 December 2015, 21:02 by GxMedia

The toppled Canter truck

One person was killed and 21 others injured when a truck laden with mourners on their way to a cremation site toppled on the Essequibo Coast public road, according to police and hospital sources.

The dead woman has been identified as Banmattie ‘Samantha’ Persaud of 47 Bella Dam, Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara. 

The Canter truck driver, Imran Ali, has admitted that the truck was carrying 40 person in the tray when they apparently swayed on one side as the vehicle was negotiating a turn.

Two elderly persons are among the 21 injured who have been identified as Kamlawattie Sukhai, Basmattie Sukhram, Maya Ali, Yashoda Sookram and Sookranie Nirda.

The driver, who has been detained by police, was among the injured at the Suddie Hospital.

The mourners were heading from in the vicinity of Devonshire Castle to a cremation site at La Union foreshore.