Women die in crash

KILLED: Tara Baboolal, one of two women killed in yesterday’s accident.
KILLED: Tara Baboolal, one of two women killed in yesterday’s accident.

TWO women are dead after an accident in Chaguanas involving a Public Transport Service Corporation (PTSC) deluxe coach bus, a garbage truck and a Blue Waters delivery truck. Tara Baboolal, 66, of Debe and Judy Clarke, 61, of Diego Martin were passengers in the bus.

Up to press time, 16 other passengers were still listed in serious but stable condition at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex in Mount Hope. Police said the accident happened at about 10 am on the Uriah Butler Highway near Charlieville in Chaguanas.

Reports said the driver of a garbage truck was heading south when one of his tyres blew out, causing him to lose control of the truck which started spinning in the road. It then crashed into the delivery truck which crossed the median and slammed into the bus which was heading north near the Munroe Road flyover.

The drivers escaped with minor injuries while the women died inside the bus. The accident caused a massive traffic pile-up as several police were on the road diverting the flow of traffic. Hundreds of bottles of water were scattered along the roadway.

WATER BLOCKAGE: Cases of Blue Waters bottled water along the north-bound lanes of the Uriah Butler highway following an accident which claimed the lives of two women.

When undertakers removed the women’s bodies, some drivers got out of their cars and rushed to pick up cases of water. When news reached Baboolal’s relatives at Congo Village in Debe, screams echoed throughout the community. One of her daughters, Nadia, told Newsday she still could not come to terms with the death of her mother. “Is like she was here and just like that she was taken away from us with no return. Words can’t explain the pain I am feeling right now. My mom just left home to go Port of Spain, Oh God no!”

Nadia said her father Ramdial Baboolal, 70, usually goes with her mother when she does errands.

However on this one occasion, she said he stayed at home to babysit his grandchildren. “My dad would have been there with my mom.”

Nadia said her mother woke up early yesterday and left home at 7am to get the bus at Kings Wharf in San Fernando. “She was only going into Port of Spain to drop off a form at the Inland Revenue office. My mother loved traveling by bus, so she would always take the bus to do her business transactions. She loved the bus, it was comfortable for her.”

Nadia said her mother was loved by everyone in the village. “My mother was just one of the most caring and loving human beings you would ever meet. She would always go out of her way to help everyone. She loved her family and loved all her grandchildren so much. I really can’t believe this.” Baboolal was the mother of four and grandmother of seven. Chaguanas police are investigating.

Comments

"Women die in crash"

More in this section