Engineer dies after motor car plunges into river

TRINA ALLUM, a 26-year-old Industrial Engineer lost her life early yesterday when the car she was driving plunged into the Diego Martin river. Her death is the 166th road fatality for the year. This compares with 177 deaths over the same period last year. Reports revealed that around 1 am yesterday, Trina Allum, of Poui Avenue, Pointe-a- Pierre, was driving her car north along the Diego Martin Highway near Dickson Avenue, when she lost control of the vehicle. The car spun around several times before it plunged into the Diego Martin river trapping Allum inside. She suffered severe head injuries and  reportedly drowned.

An eyewitness told police the road was wet and slippery after a shower of rain, which may have caused Allum to run off the road. District Medical Officer Dr Tom Pack and Ag Cpl Brown of the Four Roads Police, along with fire officers visited the scene. With the help of fire officers, the body was removed from the wrecked car and taken to the Port-of-Spain mortuary. Beverly Allum, mother of the dead woman told Sunday Newsday she received the news of her daughter’s death early yesterday. The grieving woman said Trina was on her way to pick up her cousin when she died. “They were going to lime,” she told Sunday Newsday.

She described her daughter as someone who was well liked by those who knew her. Trina had one brother, Marc. Employees at Process Component Limited, Point Lisas where Allum worked, expressed sorrow over her passing and added that the news of the death came as a big shock to everyone. The funeral service will take place on Wednesday at Our Lady of Perpetual Help RC Church, San Fernando followed by cremation.