By Shawnette Fiedtkou
In a devastating early morning accident on the Linden Highway, five people, including two teachers, lost their lives and four others, including an eleven-year-old girl, were injured.
The fatal collision occurred in the Long Creek area between a silver Spacio and a black Fielder wagon, which were reportedly traveling in opposite directions.
The deceased have been identified as Dwaylon Farrell, a teacher at New Silvercity Secondary School, Rushell Leacock, a Kwakwani Primary School teacher, Rayhum Leacock, 24, Urani Hall, a 78-year-old retired nurse from Kwakwani, and Clinton Patterson, 68, of Kuru Kuru.
The injured were transported to the Linden Hospital Complex.
They include 24-year-old Asheer Grannum from Kwakwani, 50-year-old Roaseanna Bumbury, 76-year-old Aubrey Gandy, and their eleven-year-old granddaughter Ashana Ramascindo.
All except the eleven-year-old were later moved to the Georgetown Public Hospital for further treatment.
At the hospital, the atmosphere was one of heartbreak and anxiety as relatives and friends awaited news about their loved ones.
James Grant, a member of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and an eyewitness who helped rescue the injured, described the harrowing scene.
He noted the difficulty in extracting some of the victims from the wreckage.
In response to the tragedy, residents of Linden are urging drivers to exercise greater caution on the Linden/Soesdyke Highway to prevent future accidents.
The bodies of the deceased have been taken to the Memorial Gardens Funeral Parlor in Georgetown for post-mortem examinations.
Police Division 4(b) is conducting an investigation into the incident.