Pile-up claims one on Mandela Hwy

The unidentified driver of the truck involved in yesterday's five-vehicle smash-up on Mandela Highway lies lifeless, in front of his mangled vehicle and the JUTC bus involved in the collision. - Junior Dowie

A GRISLY four-vehicle crash on Mandela Highway just before 6 yesterday evening, claimed at least one life and left an undetermined number of people with severe injuries in the Spanish Town, University and Kingston Public hospitals.

The fatal smash-up occurred near to Six Miles and involved a truck, a Jamaica Urban Transit Corporation (JUTC) bus, a red Nissan pick-up, and a white Toyota Corolla.

Eyewitness reports indicate that the truck, which was travelling towards Spanish Town, collided with the Kingston-bound bus, after the truck driver swerved across the median into the opposite lane. Both vehicles were extensively damaged.

Fire officers had to cut JUTC driver, Wendell Simms, from the wreckage of the white Volvo bus, which was plying Route 21 from Spanish Town to Cross Roads. He was rushed to hospital in serious condition.

A number of passengers in the bus were also said to have sustained facial and leg injuries and had to be freed from the bus by fire officers, who were summoned from the Half-Way Tree station just after 6 p.m.

The driver of the truck, who had to be prised from the mangled vehicle by fire officers, was pronounced dead on the spot. Up to press time he remained unidentified. Reports that one of three men travelling on the back of the truck had also died were also unconfirmed up to press time.

Neither Deputy Superintendent Wright of the Duhaney Park Police Station nor District Officer Dennis Lyons from the Half-Way Tree Fire Station, who led their respective response teams, could say how many people were injured in the crash.

"We just picked up as many injured people as we could and rushed them to hospital," DSP Wright told a Gleaner news team. Behind him, fire officers washed spilled oil and gas from the road, while scores of onlookers watched as traffic backed up in both directions.

The JUTC's Manager of the Spanish Town Depot, Neville Warner, Traffic Superintendent Wayne Moore, and other JUTC officials were quickly on the scene to survey the extent of damage and lend support to their colleagues and passengers.

In a statement last night, Transport Minister, Dr. Peter Phillips expressed deep regret about the fatal accident, saying it underscored the need for increased attention to road safety.

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