Hundreds affected by power outage

A TRAILER truck transporting a huge crane skidded out of control on a narrow, hilly Diego Martin road yesterday, pulling down overhead electricity lines, uprooting a wooden utility pole and causing massive power outages and traffic pile ups in the district yesterday. The mishap took place on the roadway leading to the controversial Vale View Housing Development, off St Lucien Road, owned by Valsayn businessman Gowakan Mahabir. The driver of the runaway vehicle, who is employed with Gopiesingh Transport, told police officers at the scene that he did not know how he managed to lose control of his vehicle. He speculated that the brakes on the vehicle might have failed.

The incident occurred at  around 4.15 pm, while a crane, which had been parked in the compound of the housing development, was being transported out of the area on the tray of a trailer truck. The vehicle, with its huge load, was being driven downhill on a road which is reported to be less than 15 feet wide. The driver told police officers that when he lost control of the vehicle it accelerated rapidly, speeding down the hill, just narrowly avoiding the wall of a nearby home. He said he avoided a major mishap by frantically steering the vehicle into the electricity pole. Residents who were startled by the loud crashing sounds, ran out of their homes to view the damage. One female resident said she was asleep when she was alerted to the crashing sound.

She feels it was an act of God which prevented the truck from crashing into her home and causing severe damage. The mishap disrupted out electricity supply along St Lucien Road, as well as in Diamond Vale and surrounding areas. Officers from the West End Police Station were summoned to the scene, as well as workmen from the Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission. Workmen from TTEC promised at 5 pm that electricity would have been fully restored by around 9 pm. Angry residents complained to Newsday of the problems and discomfort they have experienced ever since the Vale View project started, including mud slides, traffic jams, closure of the St Lucien Road and power outages. Although there is a court injunction preventing trucks from entering nearby Sunset Gardens, a private road, last week a truck went into the road and pulled down telephone and cable lines.

Fed up residents said yesterday’s accident could have been avoided if police officers were present to supervise removal of the crane. West End officers told Newsday the driver of the truck was interviewed at the scene and a statement will be recorded today. The area of the accident was temporarily closed off to vehicular traffic and police officers maintained a presence. The Vale View project started in 2003. Town and Country initially refused permission for the project and residents took their complaints to the Ombudsman who said the roadway leading to the project did not meet the requirements. Three residents have taken the owner of the project to court.