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More fire at Fiesta
Construction worker crushed to death in heated riotHORACE HINES, Observer West reporter
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Workers pointing to the bicycle, trapped under the truck's front wheel, belonging to 47-year-old painter Peter Evans who was crushed to death by the truck. (Photo: Horace Hines)
POINT, Hanover - A construction worker employed to the US$150-million Fiesta Hotel was crushed to death by a truck which hit him off his bicycle yesterday morning as turmoil between rioting workers and security guards escalated at the main entrance of the facility.
The dead man has been identified as 47-year-old painter Peter Evans of Baulk, Hanover.
Yesterday morning's furore was sparked by the security guards' refusal to allow the workers without passes to enter the facility.
According to an alleged eye-witness account of the grisly accident, a fast approaching truck, which purportedly developed brake problems, got out of control and slammed into Evans - who was still on his bicycle -just after he was processed by the guards.
He was pinned under the truck and dragged a short distance by the racing truck, which is used to transport material to the work site. When the truck came to a halt it was discovered that Evans' head was crushed. He died on the spot.
"The truckman hit the bicycle and same time the bicycle drop and man roll down inna the road and the truck have him deh draw him come down here so him head bust," said one man.
But, other furious protesters contend that Evans was inadvertently shoved into the path of the moving truck by a security guard.
Angry workers set the guard house and a motor vehicle belonging to the developers ablaze in retaliation.
A strong contingent of police, led by the Commander of the Hanover Police Division, Deputy Superintendent Dermot Lawrence, worked tirelessly to restore calm at the site. However, as they ordered the enraged workers off the premises, they were forced to take cover from a hail of stones hurled at them by the rebellious workers. The cops fired warning shots and tear gas to disperse the fuming mob.
This incident comes exactly a year after the February 27, 2007 incident which prompted the indefinite suspension of work at the site, following a violent clash between construction workers, the police and security guards.
In that incident a construction worker was shot and injured, while fire was set to three offices and several motor vehicles belonging to the Spanish hotel chain.
The Fiesta Group is constructing a 1,600-room at Point estate, Hanover which has been plagued with problems and controversy ever since construction started two years ago.
Construction worker crushed to death in heated riotHORACE HINES, Observer West reporter
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Workers pointing to the bicycle, trapped under the truck's front wheel, belonging to 47-year-old painter Peter Evans who was crushed to death by the truck. (Photo: Horace Hines)POINT, Hanover - A construction worker employed to the US$150-million Fiesta Hotel was crushed to death by a truck which hit him off his bicycle yesterday morning as turmoil between rioting workers and security guards escalated at the main entrance of the facility.
The dead man has been identified as 47-year-old painter Peter Evans of Baulk, Hanover.
Yesterday morning's furore was sparked by the security guards' refusal to allow the workers without passes to enter the facility.
According to an alleged eye-witness account of the grisly accident, a fast approaching truck, which purportedly developed brake problems, got out of control and slammed into Evans - who was still on his bicycle -just after he was processed by the guards.
He was pinned under the truck and dragged a short distance by the racing truck, which is used to transport material to the work site. When the truck came to a halt it was discovered that Evans' head was crushed. He died on the spot.
"The truckman hit the bicycle and same time the bicycle drop and man roll down inna the road and the truck have him deh draw him come down here so him head bust," said one man.
But, other furious protesters contend that Evans was inadvertently shoved into the path of the moving truck by a security guard.
Angry workers set the guard house and a motor vehicle belonging to the developers ablaze in retaliation.
A strong contingent of police, led by the Commander of the Hanover Police Division, Deputy Superintendent Dermot Lawrence, worked tirelessly to restore calm at the site. However, as they ordered the enraged workers off the premises, they were forced to take cover from a hail of stones hurled at them by the rebellious workers. The cops fired warning shots and tear gas to disperse the fuming mob.
This incident comes exactly a year after the February 27, 2007 incident which prompted the indefinite suspension of work at the site, following a violent clash between construction workers, the police and security guards.
In that incident a construction worker was shot and injured, while fire was set to three offices and several motor vehicles belonging to the Spanish hotel chain.
The Fiesta Group is constructing a 1,600-room at Point estate, Hanover which has been plagued with problems and controversy ever since construction started two years ago.
The main office of the Fiesta Hotel development at Point, near Lucea in Hanover, goes up in a thick pall of smoke yesterday after protesting workers set the building ablaze. The workers, who were upset that persons without identification cards were not allowed to enter the premises, stoned security personnel on duty. The situation worsened when a worker was shot and injured, as angry workers stormed the construction site, where they set fire to buildings and motor vehicles. 
Assistant Commissioner of Police Clifford Blake (left) addressing workers in front of the Fiesta Hotel development at Point, near Lucea, after an uproar in which sections of the property were set ablaze by protesting workers . 
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