Worker killed at cement plant

A 17-YEAR-OLD youth lost his life yesterday at the Trinidad Cement Limited (TCL’s) factory in St Margaret’s Village, Claxton Bay. He has been identified as Dinesh Rampersad, an employee of a contracting company conducting maintenance operations at the cement plant. According to a police report, at around 11.45 pm, Rampersad and three other workers were on top of one of the plant’s silos removing “old” cement, a job that required the workers climb in and out the silo. Eyewitnesses said Rampersad was attempting to climb into the silo when a large chunk of cement collapsed.

It fell directly on Rampersad who fell head first into the silo and became submerged in cement. Other workers went to Rampersad’s assistance but had great difficulty pulling him out of the cement. Rampersad was rushed to the San Fernando General Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. A party of policemen visited the scene. Rampersad, who lived a short distance  from the plant at St Margaret’s Village, had been employed as a contract worker for a few months. The company is to conduct its own investigations into the incident. Sgt Terry Khan of St Margaret’s Police Station is spearheading investigations.