Labourer crushed to death

According to police reports, at about 6.30pm, Dayanand Persad a mechanic of Gunness Trace, Barrackpore and Sanjit Jaglal, 43, were at their workplace, Vick’s Trinidad Limited located on Rochard Douglas Road, where they were offloading truck parts from a 40-foot container.

The final item to be offloaded was said to be a tray for a flat bed wrecker. As the tray was being removed, it fell and pinned Persad against the wall of the container.

Other workers used chain blocks to free him but he was already dead.

Persad was not married and did not have any children.

When Newsday visited his home, distraught relatives described him as a “very loving, free minded and helpful” person who loved to watch sports and go hunting despite being a vegetarian.

His brother-in-law Steve Surujbally said Persad was the “closest thing to a brother you could find.” However, Surujbally, who had also gone to the scene said the ambulance arrived almost 90 minutes after the call for assistance was made. He said the outcome may have been different had they arrived within a reasonable time.

Surujbally said Persad’s employer visited the family and pledged to assist with the funeral arrangements and his mother, Kamla Persad, 68, who was surrounded by friends and relatives, was trying to come to terms with the sudden death of her son.

His sister, Sindu Surujbally, 41, described her brother as a “happy person” who enjoyed family gatherings.

Cpl Roopnarine of the Barrackpore Police Station is continuing investigations.