The carnage strewn along the thoroughfare drew scores of early morning commuters and led to a convoy of ambulances rushing to the scene.
Twenty-six people sustained injuries, some of them serious.
By 7:45a.m., five police-escorted ambulances were rushing the injured to the Princess Margaret Hospital.
There were conflicting reports about exactly what caused the jitney driver to lose control, according to police. But some eyewitnesses said that the bus, that was traveling west on Step Street, overturned as it was turning onto Johnson Road.
“These are human beings and not fares we are dealing with,” said the Minister of Transport and Aviation Glenys Hana-Martin. “This is people’s lives.”
At the scene, the Superintendent of Police Willard Cunningham, gave the Minister a preliminary briefing.
She said she was concerned about irresponsible road users.
“As a people we shouldn’t have to have somebody over us telling us to do what we know is right. We have to start taking responsibility for our behaviour. We should not have to have the police telling us to drive and act responsibly,” the Minister said.
By the time the last of the ambulances arrived at the PMH’s emergency entrance, a small crowd had gathered, with some people openly reacting with disgust.
“These jitney drivers got to stop!” said one woman. “For a dollar they put your life in danger.”
But police refused to level any blame before they concluded thorough investigations. Chief Superintendent Hulan Hanna told the Bahama Journal that the jitney driver was not hurt.
The jitney involved was Comfort #9, licence plate number NP 543. The impact of the crash caused the bus’ front right portion to be crushed.
At the scene, paramedics were assisted by medical staff, who either happened to be on the scene or rushed from PMH’s emergency team where the Emergency Room doctor on duty Dr. Farah Friday, kept in touch with the medical team at ground zero.
The preliminary assessment by the medical team had identified six critical cases though by 9:00 am, Chief Hospital Administrator. Mrs. Coralee Adderley said it was too early to give a more definitive assessment as the medical team was still diagnosing the patients.
In a subsequent press release, Ms. Adderley stated that 26 passengers were rushed to PMH. Fifteen of them “required a stretcher” and 11 were “walking wounded patients”. The number of “seriously ill but not life threatening” was reduced from the original six to four.
The press release stated that “approximately six patients” were to be admitted, one of them to “the intensive care unit.” All other patients were to be discharged.
It was said that the accident highlights the need for a more robust enforcement regime.
Minister Hanna-Martin said that collaborative ministerial meetings – National Security, Attorney General, Works and Transport & Aviation – have submitted recommendations, which will be implemented over the next few weeks.
She was reluctant to comment directly on the accident.
She said she wanted people to know that the long-term problems were being addressed through funding provided by the Inter American Development Bank.
“The transportation problems have been neglected for a long time. And changes like a unified public transportation system won’t come over night. We have to examine and study the problems and fine the best solutions,” she said.
The Bahama Journal
