‘Woman’s leg was blown off’

Scores of family members were in a state of shock as they awaited news of their relatives. Victims of the explosion were brought in by ambulance and taxi drivers.

Cynthia Carrington-Murray, Chief Executive Officer of the North West Regional Health Authority (NWRHA) said 14 patients were taken to the A and E. She said two were critical and 12 had minor injuries. She declined to provide details of their condition because their families had not been notified but said two were in "very serious" condition.

Carrington-Murray said some patients would be discharged but they were being kept for observation. "They are in shock," she said. The patients’ ages range between 24 and 65 years.

Eyewitnesses told Newsday they were suffering from "deafness" due to the loud noise created by the explosion.

Christiana Cassie recalled that when the explosion went off she was on Frederick Street with other family members.

"There was a woman on the ground and her leg was cut off, I tried to tie up her leg. She told me to call her family but I can’t recall her name," she said.

Cassie said the woman’s pupils turned white and she looked as if she died.

"Another man’s clothing was blown off and he was laying on the ground. His flesh was showing through a cut in his leg. Another woman’s hand was blown off, " she said.

Cassie added that she tried to get information about the health of her own relatives from the hospital staff but was ignored. Cindy Cassie, Anne Marie Cassie and Adana Belfast were warded.

Newsday learnt that the woman with the leg injury was Yvonne Mc Ivor, 65 years old. She received emergency surgery but the doctors could not save her right leg. She lost her leg from the knee down. Her niece Sharon Samuel said at the time of the explosion Mc Ivor was coming from cancer treatment at the St James Radiotherapy Centre. "She was walking down Frederick Street going to City Gate for a PTSC bus when she was injured." McIvor was unconscious when she was taken to the hospital and after surgery. Other eyewitnesses said they tried to run into the malls but were locked out by store owners.

Michael Ali, one of the victims said he was ignored by hospital staff as he tried to get assistance for a head injury.

"I was in front of Maraj Jewelers, when I heard the explosion and I fell to the ground," he said.