BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – WHAT was expected to be a normal routine run in transporting workers to a construction site at the South East Peninsula this morning (Jan. 18), resulted in 16 individuals being taken to the hospital for medical treatment following an accident.
Proprietor of Big Banana Tours Michael Bridgewater, who is also known as Michael B, told SKNVibes that while he was descending the steep Timothy Hill in one of his “jac trucks” this morning, the vehicle had developed problems and it overturned when he tried to take evasive action.
“Normally, I take staff over at Kia Constructions. This morning when I started applying the brakes coming down the hill and changing the gears, the air finished out of the tank. The vehicle operates from air (air compression) so when we got to the bottom of the hill the truck was running and I had to make a turn. And when I made a turn to the bottom of the hill, it just flipped. I was just trying to make sure I didn’t go over the cliff or anything like that.”
Bridgewater also said that 16 individuals were on board the vehicle and following the incident, they were taken to the Joseph N. France General Hospital and two of them were detained.
He further said he is thankful that the injuries were not as serious as they could have been and informed SKNVibes that he heard rumours that the driver of the vehicle died as a result of the incident.
The businessman however reiterated that he was the driver of the vehicle and he is alive and well.
Investigations into the incident are expected to be made and Bridgewater has recommended that the portion of Timothy Hill, which is closed to vehicular traffic owing the ongoing tunnel construction, be opened as soon as possible to avoid vehicles having to traverse the steep alternative route.
