Devon Evans & Petrina Francis, Gleaner Writers

Four persons were killed in a motor vehicle collision on the Llandovery main road in St. Ann early yesterday morning, while two others are battling for life in hospital.

The collision occurred as the world commemorates Road Safety Week, and brings to at least 110, the number of persons who have been killed in traffic collisions since the start of the year.

The accident occurred around 2:30 a.m., when a Mack panel truck transporting vendors from Kingston to Falmouth in Trelawny overturned after developing mechanical problems. Three others are nursing minor injuries.

Among the dead is Rupert Lewin of a Kingston address, who is said to be the owner of the truck and who was travelling in the back of the vehicle. Two of the others have been identified as 37-year-old Nadine Bailey of August Town road in Kingston 11 and Kirk Grant of a Marverly address in St. Andrew.

CCN Liaison Officer for St. Ann, Corporal Stacy Hawkins reported that the truck, which had 12 persons aboard, three in the front and nine others in the back, was heading for Falmouth when, on reaching a section of the Llandovery main road, it developed mechanical problems while descending a slope.

Corporal Hawkins said the driver lost control of the truck which then swerved across the road and overturned in a ditch.

The three persons travelling in the front escaped injuries but the nine who were in the back were not so lucky.

Three of them were killed inside the truck by their own barrels of goods, which came tumbling down on them. Bailey was killed after she was thrown from the vehicle and the truck fell on top of her.

The passing motorist rushed the injured persons to the St. Ann's Bay Hospital, some six miles away.

The two persons who were admitted were reported to have suffered various injuries but medical personnel were not willing to disclose the nature of those injuries. One of the injured has been identifiedas Marva Lindsay of a Belvedere Road address in Kingston.

The trip to Falmouth was said to be part of a regular routine for the vendors from Kingston who, along with other vendors from other parts of the island, converge on the historic town each Wednesday for the popular 'bend down market'.

Several items of clothing were scattered at the accident scene. The driver of the ill-fated truck was interrogated by policemen at the Runaway police station then released.

Meanwhile Paula Fletcher, Executive Director of the National Road Safety Council yesterday appealed to motorists to be cautious on the road and obey the rules.

"Do not speed, do not overtake recklessly or overload your vehicle," she warned.