Four labourers crushed to death in a stone crushing drum
22 March 2006
The mishap occurred when the six labourers got into a huge drum to rectify it and then the operator, without checking inside, switched on the machine. The device turned several times, killing four of the five victims — two Indians, a Pakistani and an Egyptian, and seriously injuring the other two.
The victims killed in the accident are Jamal Abdulfatah from Egypt, Jaffar Barkan and Khan Shandra from India, and Mubsal Mohammed Khan from Pakistan. Recounting the moments of his terrifying and painful experience, Mohammed Jamal, who has been injured in the accident said: “When he turned the machine on, we felt as if we are in a roller coaster and I suffered an awful pain that I have never ever experienced before.” He also added: “We started screaming in agony and cried to the operator to switch off the machine.” The machine instantaneously killed four of the six workers and then threw Jamal and another one on the ground after causing them serious injuries and ruptures. Jamal, who has been brought to the emergency department of Saqer Hospital, added: “Ironically, the operator, who is also Egyptian, was not aware that we were inside the drum even after he turned the machine off.” The tragic accident caused a turning point in the lives of all the victims, dead and alive, and jeopardised their future of those who are still alive.
“I don’t know what to do now since I was planning to go back to my country to organise my wedding party in the coming June,” Jamal said, while holding back his tears. He also added: “My Egyptian colleague, who died in the accident, used to tell me that he has completed all preparations to organise his wedding ceremony when he goes back to his home country next week.” The hospital sources said that the case of Jamal, who remained in the surgery ward for more than 24 hours, has not been diagnosed yet. However, they described it as a very serious one.
The CT scan and X-ray tests showed that the victim’s head has not been affected, but doctors suspect that he sustained serious injuries and fractures on his back.
