Forty-eight-year-old Seechand Lall Chandilall commenced driving the route 50 minibus BRR 5478 only a month ago but has been a minibus driver for approximately a year.
He died instantly and was trapped in the vehicle after he crashed head-on into a beverage laden truck GPP 9433 on the Fairfield, Mahaicony East Coast Demerara public road Wednesday morning.
Police said that Chandilall, a father of two children – ages 13 and 6 – was speeding along the road when he suffered a ‘blow-out’ of the left side rear wheel.
As a result, he lost control and collided with the left front portion of the lorry which was proceeding east along the northern side of the road.
Chandilall had a bus-load of passengers, four of whom who died on the spot and three who are in a critical condition.
At his Bath Settlement, Berbice home, his children and relatives are in shock.
One of his sisters, Nadira Chandilall said he is the third brother to have died; she lost a brother in December 2017 and another one in December 2018.
Nadira said Chandilall was ill for quite some time and only recently started driving minibuses.
“To lose another brother this month is really hard to deal with,” the sister said.
The critically injured passengers have been identified as 46-year-old Cecil Gordon of Farm, Mahaicony; 60-year-old David Jacobs and his daughter 15-year-old Angela Jacobs, who had her left arm amputated.
The driver of the truck, 46-year-old Sherlon Wills of Mahaica also suffered severe injuries.
They are all hospitalized at the Georgetown Public Hospital.
