Falling Debris Injures Two Women at Novelo’s Bus Terminal

Two unsuspecting women escaped grave injuries this afternoon when rubble from the roof of the bus terminal on East Collet Canal fell on them.  The women were having a brief conversation on the sidewalk just outside of the building when a piece of cement fell from the rooftop and landed on them.  It was a frightening experience for persons in the immediate area and the mishap has led to questions about the integrity and soundness of the building.  News Five’s Isani Cayetano visited the scene today and spoke with members of the taxi association.  He also spoke with the husband of one of the women who remains hospitalized at the K.H.M.H. tonight.  Here’s that story.

 

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

A fifty-three-year-old woman is hospitalized at the KHMH after being struck by falling debris at Novelo’s Bus Terminal here in Belize City.  Ana Chanim and her husband Felito arrived at the station around midday and were on the sidewalk in front of the building when she felt a sharp and sudden pain in her right collarbone.

 

Felito Chanim, Husband

“What happened is that I came down here today, me, my wife and my son-in-law we went to an interview for a job for me, and after that well then we came back and had lunch and we decided to catch the bus to go back home to Belmopan.  Doing so, my wife was behind me and I was walking in front of her and she paused to speak with another lady and the roof of the terminal, atop, the cement building roof, fell from up there and the piece of block fell on her shoulder.  I don’t know what is broken, I don’t know what it is as yet but we have her in the emergency room at this moment.  We’re not sure what the outcome will be.”

 

According to Thomas Garcia, a cab driver who operates from the terminal, he frequently hangs out in front of the building, along with members of his taxi association, to greet customers.  Not once did they realize that high above them the roof of the building was breaking apart.

 

Thomas Garcia, Taxi Driver

“All of us like to stand up outside, neva know that this thing ya di heng pan di side and none of us even look at it that kinda way, right.  And apparently, you had two ladies and another man were standing out there waiting for somebody to come and pick them and sudden one dis thing ya just break away.”

 

Isani Cayetano

“What kind of assistance was given to the two women after they got injured?

 

Thomas Garcia

“Well, apparently deh mi di wait pan di ambulance but according to what I see, these taximen from out here, they rushed the two people to the hospital.”

 

The incident, says Chanim, was rather frightening.  The falling debris sent passersby, as well as people entering the terminal, scrambling for cover.

 

Felito Chanim

“Everybody were really frightened.  People were running all over the place because they think more was coming down.  They thought that more of the building was falling  I mean everybody was frightened because little bricks were falling, little small pieces, so everybody was running for shelter. Mein I was terrorized, I was frightened.  The thing is, my wife was behind me, I didn’t even know that the thing fell on her because I think the impact that she got, at the moment, she didn’t react.  She reacted like a couple moments after when she realized that she got hurt.  That’s when she jumped and hugged me, you know, and when she hugged me she was falling and I had to lift her up because she couldn’t even stand up, you know, and it was frightening, really, because I didn’t expect something like that.  That’s right out of the blues.  You’re going into the terminal, this thing could have fallen on her head, imagine.”

 

In the wake of what took place earlier today, Garcia is making an appeal to the management of the terminal to assess the building for structural soundness.

 

Thomas Garcia

“I would like to make, well I would say the guy that runs this terminal and so on to keep on checking and make sure that this does not happen again because this is a lawsuit for these people, whiching these people neva touch nothing fi mek that could drop pan dehn, but what I am saying is that by right dehn suppose to check it out.”

 

Isani Cayetano

“Was there any response from persons who were in the building on the second floor?”

 

Felicito Chanim

“No, there was none.  Just a couple employees sitting at the top laughing.  I don’t know what was funny but I guess they found something funny about it, but nobody from the terminal itself who was in charge did come down and say anything or checked what was the problem. I would like to let them take responsibility as well because as I said, I am not working right now and hospital is a bill, so they should take some responsibility and see what they can do to help.”

 

Isani Cayetano for News Five.