AN Earthmover logging company worker was killed during an accident involving a company vehicle in east central Guadalcanal this week.
The deceased was among around 20 passengers including three Asians, a wife and baby of one of the workers, who travelled on the old company’s land-cruiser.
A source told the Solomon Star the vehicle was travelling up a hill and upon reaching the top, the driver asked the passengers to get off because the brake was not working properly.
But some passengers refused, so the driver decided to travel down the hill with some passengers inside the trail.
On the way down, the driver tried to control the vehicle but lost its direction and overturned with all the passengers.
The deceased’s head was reportedly smashed by the rail of the truck.
The source said the wife and another man fractured their legs in the accident, while another person sustained minor injuries.
They are recovering at National Referall Hospital.
The source said the rest of the passengers sought treatment at Aola Area Health Centre and returned back to their logging camp at Barahao.
A spokesman for Earthmovers had confirmed the fatal accident when contacted by the Solomon Star and said he reported the matter to the Commissioner of Labour.
The incident raises questions over safety of logging workers.
A police officer said the Traffic Act covers every vehicle that operated in the country, including those at logging camps.
However, he said police find it hard to enforce the law on logging companies because of their locations.
However, the police officer said it’s a wake-up call for the police to look seriously into vehicles that are not worthy to run on the road at logging camps.
He said sometimes logging companies are not prosecuted under the Traffic Act because they just paid compensation to the deceased and victims.
Commissioner of Labour, Josiah Manehia said under normal procedures, his office will look through the incident report before making any decisions.
By EDDIE OSIFELO