Man dies as dog kennel collapses on him

Cadogan, 50, a patient care assistant at St Ann’s Hospital in Port-of-Spain had gone to feed the dogs on Sunday afternoon when the kennel collapsed, pinning him to the ground. One of the dogs was also killed.

The body was only discovered yesterday morning, buried under several galvanize iron sheets. Cadogan was last seen by neighbours outside his Cleghorn Village, Princes Town home.

He was alone at home at the time, relatives said.

A neighbour is said to have heard a loud crashing sound at about 5.30 pm on Sunday but ignored it. It is believed that the noise was that of the collapsing kennel.

Investigators are working on the theory that Cadogan was feeding the dogs when the accident occurred.

Police said it was a neighbour, Hannah Dyal, who was passing yesterday in front the house and noticed the collapsed kennel.

She also observed keys in the front door Upon checking, police said Dyal spotted part of Cadogan’s body under the rubble and raised an alarm. A relative was contacted and Cadogan’s body was later pulled out from the rubble.

The District Medical Officer visited the scene and ordered the body removed to the Forensic Science Centre. A post mortem is expected to be performed today.

Relatives and neighbours believe the noise from a weed whacker may have prevented them from hearing Delano’s cries for help.

Dyal, the neighbour who spotted the body, told Newsday that it was the key in the door that drew her attention.

“Since they come here to live, those keys are never left in the door. I looked down the hill and saw the collapsed shed and observed Cadogan’s body from waist down in a crouched position,” she said.

Dyal said even as she called out Cadogan’s name and got no answer, she was afraid to go closer because the two dogs stood guard next to the body.

She said she called a relative who arrived and began moving away the galvanize.

“They pulled out his body and the dead dog. It was really sad to see,” she said.

Cadogan’s common-law wife, Princess Best, 45, told Newsday that he loved dogs and enjoyed taking care of his brother’s pitbulls.

She was shocked at the news of his death.

“I was in Port of Spain yesterday morning when I got a call telling me that the dog kennel collapse on Delano,” she said. Investigations are continuing.