The Paynesville Zone Five Commander, Maruh Massaquoi, who were involved in a tragic motor accident yesterday at the Slipway check post along with two others is reported to have died at the John F. Kennedy Medical Center.
The Slipway hill was a scene of panic when the brakes of a 30-seater bus allegedly failed descending the Johnson Street hill and while in motion, collapsed on marketers along the Jonson and Water Streets towards Ashmun Street causing pedestrians to flee.
According to eyewitnesses so far, the three persons who were victims were two of the passengers on board the bus and officer Massaquoi commonly known as Co5 who was said to have been on duty with the joint security team.
Eyewitness Vicky B. Tayon explained that when the bus fell, some pedestrians immediately went to assist by removing the police officer from beneath it and as everyone’s attention was on saving the officer, the driver of the bus who was wearing slippers ran away leaving the bus and victims unattended to.
She added that a lady’s hand got seriously injured by an iron in the bus and man believed to be one of the usual pastors who preaches on buses also got severely wounded as well.
Scenes from the accident
Another eyewitness identified as Varney K. Thomas said he was at his checkpoint and while monitoring the traffic, he had a strange noise but when he got on the scene, he saw this bus speeding downwards without control and immediately it ran into this police officer who helplessly got stuck under it.
“We pushed the bus and removed the policeman from under it but looking at his condition which was very bad and not knowing whether he is still alive or not, we had to rush him to the hospital,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Mr. Thomas is appealing to the government to take serious action about defective vehicles that are flying on the principal streets especially during the day.
“We all know that everyone is finding means to survive but your hustle should not endanger someone else’s life. I pray that the policeman survives the accident” he added.