Senior Reporter
sascha.walson@guardian.co.tt
A 62-year-old man was killed after the tractor he was driving plunged 1,000 feet off a precipice at his job site in Williamsville on Thursday.
Investigations are continuing into how Motilal Ramnath, who was employed as a watchman at H Dookeran Quarry, Guaracara Quarry Road, ended up on the bottom of the precipice.
A police report stated that around 9 am Ramnath’s employer gave him permission to operate a tractor to clear an area of yellow lime stones on the eastern side of the quarry.
However, five hours later another worker, Ricky Rampaul, a mechanic, observed several trees smashed and tractor tracks led down to the precipice where Ramnath was later found. Rampaul initially did not see the tractor.
The Princes Town Fire Station was then contacted and officers led by acting Fire Sub-officer Mohammed responded and found the tractor logged down the precipice, with Ramnath’s body in the cab.
The report listed Ramnath’s address as Harripaul Village, near Debe, but when Guardian Media went to the community, neighbours said he had moved out of the area.
In another incident, Penal resident Rakeeb Mohammed died after his truck fell on top of him while he was doing repairs at his Legall Trace home.
Mohammed, 49, was under his red Mercedes Benz trailer truck carrying out repairs around 2.30 pm when a jack, which was supporting the weight of the truck, slipped and pinned him. Family members contacted the Penal Fire Station for assistance.
When they arrived, the fire officers assisted relatives in freeing him from under his truck. An ambulance took him to the Siparia Health Facility where he died around 4 pm. Penal police are investigating.