Man dies offloading truck

A FATHER of two was yesterday crushed while offloading a container at his Point Fortin workplace — Krishna Persad and Sons Limited (KPS). He died while undergoing medical treatment at the Point Fortin Area Hospital.

According to a police report, Mustapha “Tallboy” Mohammed, 40, of Cap-de-Ville Main Road, reported for duty at KPS at about 6.50 am.

The report stated that while offloading a container which contained a truck imported from Japan, the driver of a truck on the compound backed up against the container, causing a sudden jerk. This reportedly caused the tray of the truck that was being offloaded to tilt and pinned Mohammed against the top right inner edge of the container. Mohammed, the report stated, was taken to the hospital by an EHS ambulance, but died while receiving medical attention.

A supervisor at KPS, Danny Persadsingh, 51, told Newsday that his company had shipped a truck from Japan and that it was delivered to them via a truck-container transportation service from the Port of Port-of-Spain. He added that the truck driver of San Fernando, came on Monday to pick up the empty container but left without it since the workers had not had the time to offload it. The driver returned yesterday to pick up the container.

He added that about the same time Mohammed and approximately five other workers were inside the container offloading the truck’s tray.

“Mohammed climbed onto the tray to chain it so that it would be easier to off-load from the container. It was when he was climbing down I just saw the container make a sudden jerk causing the tray to tilt pinning Mohammed from the chest area, against the inner wall of the container,” Persadsingh said.

He said that with the help of the workers they were able to free Mohammed, who remained conscious during their rescue attempt. He was rushed to hospital but died about one hour later. A preliminary medical report revealed that his lungs were punctured when his rib cage broke.

Mohammed, the father of two — Roshan, 11, and Devika, six, was the sole breadwinner of the family. He had been employed at the company for some six years. Mohammed was also one of the men involved in a search party to find his boss’ son, who was kidnapped three years ago.

His wife of 12 years, Deokie, 35, described her husband as a hard-working individual.

She sobbed as she told Newsday that Mohammed left home about 6.30 am for work.

“About less than an hour after my sister-in-law came and told me that Tallboy was in an accident.”

Deokie added that she thought that the accident was a minor one.

“It was not until I arrived at the hospital and saw blood coming through my husband’s mouth that I realised it was something serious.”

Police investigators were up to yesterday taking statements from the truck driver and Mohammed’s co-workers.

Police officers attached to the Point Fortin Police Station are continuing investigations.