Fire Service unable to move SUV from North Coast track

Despite several attempts, fire officers have been unable to overturn and remove a Nissan Frontier SUV from the track where it flipped on Tuesday afternoon.

The vehicle flipped when hikers were returning from Paragrant Bay on the Fond Pois Doux Road, near Maracas Bay, at around 4 pm.

It is believed that an uneven patch of road and loose gravel under one of the tyres of the SUV caused it to overturn.

The passengers, which include three children, received only minor injuries from the accident and were able to get out of the SUV with help from other hikers and residents.

Speaking with Newsday on Wednesday, Assistant Chief Fire Officer Earl Sampson who also visited the scene of the accident on Tuesday, confirmed that they could not overturn the vehicle owing to the narrow size of the track in which it was located.

"Because of how narrow it is to navigate, we weren't able to flip the vehicle back over.

"There was also some difficulty in actually being able to pull the vehicle out.

"If we go on a Road Traffic Accident we will make space by cutting the vehicle in half and towing the parts away, but this wasn't a situation where people were trapped. It was slightly different.

"So in a situation like this, another type of wrecker is needed to remove the vehicle which is in good mechanical condition.

"Our response is not to wreck vehicles."

Sampson also called on visitors to the area to exercise extreme caution and warned other hikers to avoid taking unnecessary chances when driving in areas with steep slopes.

He said while the driver did her best to safely navigate the SUV, a good understanding of off-road driving was needed to safely travel in such terrain.

"You have to be familiar with your terrain and you should also understand the kind of driving that is required to move through areas like these. You basically have to know your vehicle to avoid any kind of slippage from happening.

"Sometimes you may be pressing the brake pedal of the vehicle at the wrong time and the car may come across a patch of loose material and cause an accident."

He also urged hikers to do the necessary background checks on trails before organising large expeditions.