Drugb posted:This is the reality under the PNC.
Falling utility pole damages car, supermarket
June 28, 2016 ByThree utility poles on Monday collapsed, with one causing extensive damage to a Honda CRV that was parked outside the Bonny’s Supermarket on Church Street, Georgetown.
The incident occurred around 11:00h on Monday.
One of the poles which fell and landed on a Honda CRV which was parked in the vicinity of the Bonny’s Supermarket
Workers at a snackette located in front of the Supermarket told this publication that the wooden light poles were rotten and despite numerous calls to the Guyana Power and Light (GPL), nothing was done to rectify the situation.
“The post them rotten. Yuh know how long we point it out, but nobody ain’t really tek we serious,” an employee of the snackette said.
A worker from another nearby store explained that he heard a crackling sound, and the crash soon followed.
“I run out when I hear the “blam” and then is when I see the fuss’ post fall. Then, a lil’ while after the other two fall, probably because the wires that attach the three post pull them down. But all ah them post old around here, yuh know how much year them deh out hay tekin’ rain and sun?” he said.
The poles also damaged sections of the snackette and disrupted the electricity in the area for some time. GPL quickly responded and managed to replace the poles.
Earlier this month, a similar incident occurred in Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara (EBD). On Monday, June 13, heavy winds uprooted five utility poles along the Diamond Housing Scheme access road, causing them to collapse on the surrounding houses.
GPL workers had been doing work on Church St pole prior to collapse.
Employees from the power company were working on one of the Church Street utility poles on Monday before it fell taking two others with it.
All three poles belonging to the Guyana Power and Light Company (GPL) were deemed to have been rotten. One pole crashed onto a Honda CRV that was parked outside the Bonny’s Supermarket.
Stabroek News was made to understand that workers attached to GPL were on the scene carrying out rehabilitative works around midday on Monday when one pole which hosted three transformers gave away.
The collapse of the first pole brought down two additional poles, one of which landed on the parked CRV belonging to Roy ‘Bonny’ Kirton, owner of Bonny’s supermarket while the other landed across Church Street, blocking traffic.
Speaking with Stabroek News yesterday, Kirton related that prior to the incident, he had observed the workers testing the stability of the poles before one of the men mounted the pole that hosted the transformers. Not long after this, Kirton recalled seeing the GPL worker jumping off the pole before it subsequently collapsed, taking the other two poles with it.
While no one was injured as a result of the incident, both the front shed of his business as well as his vehicle were damaged.
Additionally, both the power supply and the flow of traffic in the area were obstructed for almost the remainder of the day.
Kirton related that a team of GPL workers were called in and worked assiduously to replace the poles that same day.
When Stabroek News visited the area yesterday, damage to the front shed of the supermarket was visible while there was also evidence of a rotten utility pole.
Kirton further noted that he has since visited the GPL office to make a claim for the damage to his business and vehicle and was assured that the company would cover the expenses incurred as a result of Monday’s incident.