Three escape death in runaway truck

According to reports, the truck was proceeding west along the road at 3.30 pm yesterday, when the driver lost control. Sources told Newsday the vehicle picked up a skid on the road which was wet from rain that had fallen a few minutes before. The truck reportedly ran off the road and tumbled several times down an incline before stopping a few feet short of the school fence. Several brake marks were evident at the scene of the incident. The driver and two loaders who were thrown off the truck were rushed to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital where they were being treated when Newsday visited.

Officers at the Belmont Police Station and the Belmont Fire Station refused to provide information.

Minister of Education Hazel Manning yesterday vowed that her ministry would provide counselling to pupils traumatised by the incident. She was speaking to Newsday during the tea-break of the Senate at the Red House.

She denied initial erroneous reports that pupils had been injured during the accident.

"The truck came over into the yard, but did not damage any of the children." She said her ministry’s supervisor for the Port-of-Spain district, Anthony Dalrymple, was on the scene gathering information to report back to the ministry’s other departments.

In case any pupil was traumatised, she pledged her ministry’s Student Support Services Division (which was established one year ago) would go into the school system and help with psycho-social support.