Dad of 4 killed in crash

IN WHAT is the third road fatality to occur in south Trinidad within the last seven days, a 52-year-old father of four died at hospital moments after a two-van smash-up in La Romaine on Tuesday night. The accident has left two of the deceased’s, co-workers hospitalised in serious condition. The three men were on their way home from work.

Indarsingh Seemun-gal, a truck driver, of Ramrattan Maharaj Trace, Debe, reportedly died at hospital about an hour after the accident, while being attended by doctors. Seemungal became the 155th road fatality victim for the year. Seemungal and his colleagues Shazim Hosein, 27, of Suchit Trace, Penal and Dindanath Sookraj, 44, a mechanic of Barrackpore, were all employees of KBK’s Transport and General Contractors Ltd, of La Brea. Both Hosein and Sookraj sustained serious injuries and remain warded at the San Fernando General Hospital (SFGH). According to police reports, around 7 pm on Tuesday, Seemungal was the front seat passenger in the transport company’s grey Isuzu pick-up van, which was being driven by Sookraj, with Hosein seated in the back seat. The van was emerging from the M2 Ring Road, in the vicinity of Paria Suites (formerly TJ’s By The Sea), when a white Toyota Prado, driven by a 42-year-old man of Aripero Village, Rousillac, travelling south along the South Truck Road, collided with the van.

Officers from Mon Repos Fire Department arrived on the scene and used a hydraulic cutting device commonly called the “Jaws of Life” to cut through the mangled van to rescue Hosein, who was screaming for help. All three occupants were rushed to the Accident and Emergency Department of the SFGH by EHS and Fire Services ambulances. The driver of the Prado was not injured. Newsday was told a doctor who lived near the accident scene ran to the assistance of the injured persons, after he heard the crash from his home. Seemungal, who worked at the contracting firm for the past three years, was married to Florie Seemungal, 52, and had four children — three daughters and a son. When Newsday visited his home yesterday, his daughter, Radika, 23, said her father had dropped off a truck in the yard of the transport company and a mechanic had offered to take him (Seemungal home). She said an x-ray revealed that her father had suffered a broken arm and ribs.

Radika recalled that her father had planned to “spend less time working and more time with his family.” Radika said he had three grandchildren, all under the age of two, whom he adored and loved very much. “Everything he did was for his family,” she said. Radika added that they were awaiting word from her father’s brother in Canada, on whether he would be attending the funeral, before final arrangements are made. Woman Police Cpl Commissiong of the San Fernando Traffic Branch, is continuing investigations. On Monday morning, Simba Mayers, 21, of Bel Air Avenue, Carli Bay, Couva died of a broken neck after the car he was in crashed into a wall off the McBean Road, Couva and one week ago, Aaron George, 28, died in a two — collision along the Solmon Hochoy highway