Robert Lalah and Rasbert Turner, Gleaner Writers
Tyrone Copeland looks at his Hiace bus which was badly damaged in a 10-vehicle accident on Highway 2000
yesterday. - RICARDO MAKYN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
THE VISIBILITY hazard triggered by blazing cane fields near Highway 2000 yesterday led to a major traffic accident along the toll road causing a 10-vehicle pileup that left several persons injured.
At least three of the accident victims were reportedly seriously injured and, up to last night, were still being treated at the Spanish Town Hospital.
The collision occurred about 1:30 p.m. in the vicinity of the White Water housing scheme in St. Catherine, on the eastbound lane of the highway leading to Kingston.
"It's not the first time that smoke from the cane field has caused this kind of accident on the highway. The operators need to examine the issue carefully and see what can be done to prevent this from ever happening again," Dr. Jones said.
Last December, a similar fire led to a seven-car crash in the same area while, earlier this year, firefighters were called in to put out a massive blaze just a few kilometres down the road.
Two large trucks and a public passenger minibus were among the vehicles involved in yesterday's crash.
According to Tyrone Copeland, the driver of one of the minibuses, the accident occurred when the driver of a small van stopped suddenly upon reaching the area covered in thick smoke.
"I was travelling toward Kingston. The smoke was very thick and the van in front of me stopped suddenly and that's when I hit it," said a dazed Copeland, who was hobbling around with an obviously injured knee. He said that he also injured a toe.
Constable Peter Ankle, of the Ferry Police Station, confirmed that smoke seemingly led to the smash-up.
"There was very poor visibility on the road caused by smoke coming from the burning cane," he said. "All the vehicles were extensively damaged and the injured persons were transported to hospital by passers-by."
The accident brought traffic on the highway to a crawl as passing motorists stared at the mangled vehicles in disbelief.
POOR VISIBILITY
Highway 2000 Accident Response Team members (left) meet on the scene of yesterday's 10-vehicle collision along Highway 2000, near White Water housing scheme, while passengers from some of the vehicles walk by. - RICARDO MAKYN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Members of the Highway Accident Response Team were quick on the scene and soon started directing motorists around the damaged vehicles.
Efforts to contact Trans Jamaican Highway, operators of Highway 2000, for comment failed.
Reacting to yesterday's incident, Dr. Lucien Jones, vice-chairman and convenor of the National Road Safety Council (NRSC), called for the operators of the highway to take urgent steps to prevent such an accident from happening again.
Dr. Jones, however, added that motorists should be extremely cautious when approaching an area where there is poor visibility.
"The first thing they should do is turn on their lights and then proceed slowly. They should perhaps turn on their flashing lights as well, but they should never just stop in the middle of the road," he said. "If they are going to stop, they should pull to the side of the road. Stopping in the middle of the road is very dangerous."
Senior Superintendent Elan Powell, head of the Police Traffic Division, said, that operators of the toll road should have a better monitoring system to prevent such incidents.
