News Room Guyana Reports | What began as a routine inspection aboard a docked cargo vessel at the Courtney Benn Wharf on Water Street turned deadly within minutes on Wednesday evening, as four employees of Guyana Port Inc. collapsed inside the vessel’s engine room while attempting to save each other.
The incident occurred around 6:00 PM when Captain Nerwaine Persaud, 57, of Cummings Lodge, East Coast Demerara, and Brandon Deonarine, 18, of Support, East Bank Demerara, entered the engine room for a dry inspection. Shortly after, both men collapsed.
Seeing their distress, Dominique Alexis, 33, of De Kinderen, West Coast Demerara, rushed into the confined space in an attempt to rescue them but also lost consciousness. Following him, Getindra Sanchara, 25, an engineer from Cummings Lodge, entered the engine room but was similarly affected.
A 66-year-old seaman reportedly experienced stiffness in his chest and difficulty breathing when he attempted to assist, prompting him to retreat to the deck. He then made an emergency call for help from the radio room.
Emergency services arrived and transported the four men to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, where they were all pronounced dead.
It was noted that the engine room could not be processed immediately as it had not been declared a safe zone. The scene was secured and will be revisited as investigations continue.
Examinations of the bodies revealed no signs of violence, and samples have been taken and submitted to a forensic laboratory for further examination.
Investigations are ongoing as authorities seek to determine the cause of this tragic incident.
