Fifteen injured in Valencia smash-up

In a head-on collision between a maxi taxi and taxi on the Valencia Road on Thursday night, 15 people were injured, nine of whom were in serious condition and had to be taken to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital. The nine people who received serious injuries — broken arms and legs, head injuries, damaged spine and chest injuries — are warded at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital. They are Arthur Robinson, driver of taxi; Ann Hernandez, Anthony Figaro, Devon Lezama, Nathalie Lucien, Trevor Lequay, John James, Julien Murray and PC Kert Gentle. Warded at the Sangre Grande Hospital are Tyroon Bhola, Ronald Ricardo Alleyne, driver of maxi taxi; Joy William, Arnold Nancoo and Kervin Duncan. All the accident victims reside in Valencia, Sangre Grande and environs.

Reports are that around 9.30 pm, a white Toyota taxi, HBC 2664, was travelling west along the Valencia Main Road to Arima when the driver, in  trying to evade hitting another vehicle, caused a head-on collision with a maxi taxi travelling east towards Sangre Grande with 12 passengers. All passengers in the maxi and taxi had to be assisted out of the wrecked vehicles by passersby and Valencia villagers. All injured persons were placed on the roadside along the accident scene. One woman, who was sitting in the front seat of the maxi, was pinned in the vehicle and the maxi door had to be forced open to release her. Her leg was said to be broken in three places and she also sustained other injuries to her waist. Highway police officers who were on mobile patrol in the area called for assistance and summoned the Emergency Health Services (EHS) ambulances to have the injured people removed to the Arima  and Sangre Grande Hospitals.

Unfortunately, only one EHS ambulance arrived half an hour later. This was insufficent to have all the injured transported to the Sangre Grande Hospital. The others lay on the roadside in pain, waiting. It was reported that the only available EHS ambulance at the time was coming from Port-of-Spain. This ambulance arrived aboutone hour later. Bertie Charlarie, Sub-Station Officer, from the Fire Services in Sangre Grande summoned ambulances from the Fire Services in Arima and Sangre Grande. They were able to have the injured removed quickly,  taking some of the injured to the Arima and Sangre Grande Hospitals. Meanwhile, curious people and passersby stopped on their way causing a pile-up of traffic along the Valencia Main Road. Police officers, headed by Cpl Clive Maloney and PCs Lewis, Sobers and others, had the traffic flowing smoothly. PC Dexter Lewis is continuing inquiries.