Woman hit by Salvatori brick

At 10 am, Germaine Baptiste, 49, was walking along Independence Square adjacent to the galvanize fence when she was knocked out. The Mobile Police Unit that works with the Eye in the Sky witnessed the incident and called for assistance. A police vehicle then took Baptiste to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital where she was warded in casualty for five hours.

A number of workers on the site were seen standing at Frederick Street after the incident occurred.

Pedestrians still continued to walk in the area after the incident, even ignoring the warning signs posted on the galvanize fence.

In a release from Urban Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago (Udecott) contractors at the Salvatori building stated that the demolition began in March.

"In order to increase the safety margin related to the demolition of the site, a sign was erected around the site to caution members of the public of the risk to an active construction site," it said.

Reports stated Baptiste fell victim to a stone tile which became loose from the structure. The tile fell against the scaffolding within the site and broke into pieces, some of which struck Baptiste.

At Udecott request, the project managers of the site, Genivar, and contractors Alpha Engineering have ceased work, and workmen have been placed around the site to warn persons of the danger.

Minister of Planning and Development, Camille Robinson Regis, said she asked the contractor (Udecott) to assist in making Baptiste as comfortable as possible.

"We are asking that she is happy and we are concerned with safety," Regis said. "We make everything possible to assist Baptiste towards a full and speedy recovery and the payment for her medical expenses."

Regis said she is also asking vendors to refrain from selling near to the building.