A 23-year-old Cuban construction worker was found dead after apparently being pinned beneath two 40-foot containers at a storage compound at Houston, East Bank Demerara, police said.
The dead man has been identified as Alex Jesus Gonzales Beria, a labourer employed by a construction company carrying out landfilling works at Muneshwers’ storage compound at Lot W9 Houston Road.
Police said the incident is believed to have occurred sometime between 2:36 p.m. and 4 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 26.
According to preliminary investigations, a 43-year-old Filipino national employed as a machine operator used an empty-container handler to position two 40-foot containers on the western side of the compound during that period.
The operator told investigators he did not recall seeing anyone in the area where the containers were placed.
At about 8:30 a.m. Thursday, employees discovered Gonzales Beria pinned beneath the containers and raised an alarm.
The containers were lifted and the worker was found motionless in a pool of blood with multiple injuries about his body. A pair of long boots and a yellow safety helmet were found nearby.
Emergency medical technicians were summoned, and Gonzales Beria was later pronounced dead by a doctor from the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.
Police said the matter was reported at approximately 8:40 a.m. Thursday, and detectives subsequently visited the scene.
Ranks from the Crime Scene Unit of the Criminal Investigation Department Headquarters processed the area.
Gonzales Beria’s body was taken to Memorial Gardens Funeral Home, where it is awaiting a post-mortem examination.
Several employees have been questioned and are assisting investigators.
Police said the investigation is ongoing.