Passenger busses collide sending almost 20 to hospital

By VonDez Phipps
Reporter-SKNVibes.com

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - TWO bus-loads of passengers were whisked to the J.N. France Hospital just hours ago when the Omni-buses they were travelling in collided in the Stone Fort area.

Approximately 15 passengers received major injuries while another four escaped with minor wounds from the head-on crash. According to an eye-witness account, at about 8:25 a.m. passenger bus ‘Rambo’ (HA233), en route to Sandy Point from Basseterre, was overtaking another vehicle  when the driver failed to get back in his lane in time and collided with an oncoming passenger bus, ‘Chucky’ (HA201). HA201 was travelling in an easterly direction headed toward Basseterre.

When SKNVibes arrived on the scene, over 15 passengers were scattered about the adjacent lawn crying out and groaning in pain while holding their injured limbs.

One passenger who had suffered minor injuries told SKNVibes, “It was a real hard hit! I wasn’t even expecting it! Almost everybody came out the bus limping or bleeding or aching in some way. It just happened so quickly. But, I’m glad nobody died because this was a serious accident.”

Emergency Medical Service (EMS) and police units from Sandy Point arrived on the scene promptly and took the driver of HA233, Nicholson Webster, to the J.N. France General Hospital.

~~Adz:Left~~Many individuals on their way to work volunteered their vehicles to transport some of the injured passengers for medical attention. Four other EMS and police units from Basseterre and neighbouring outlets subsequently arrived on the scene.

Police officers took witness statements and tried to direct traffic which had backed up due to the crash and persons trying to get a glimpse of the carnage.

An Emergency Medical Technician informed SKNVibes that “about 15 passengers suffered major lacerations, fractures, neck injuries and possibly broken bones” and noted that some may be suffering from internal bleeding. The individual confirmed that there were no deaths but maintained that the accident was “very serious”.

When questioned, a police officer at the scene of the accident declined to give a formal statement but noted investigations would be carried out to ascertain the cause of the accident.