lives of 4 people,” said Fire Department Spokesman Olton Pinas on Saturday morning after a collision between a car and a PKS bus. 4 people died at the scene of the accident while 17 people who had sustained serious injuries when the bus flipped over several times were rushed to the Emergency Room. Dozens of units from the Police Force Suriname and the Fire Department Suriname were deployed and worked for several hours at the scene of the accident. Bodies that were lying on the street were covered with blankets while the police closed off the area. Witnesses described a chaotic and emotional situation. Dozens of bystanders sat on the ground while they had a look of disbelief on their faces. Parts of both vehicles that were spread all over the street were proof of the collision.

Preliminary reports indicate that the PKS was driving in the Johannes Mungrastraat while the car appeared out of the Veldhuizenlaan. It is suspected that the driver of the car was speeding and that he failed to give right of way which is why he rammed the bus. The bus evidently flipped over four times. An eyewitness claimed that when the bus flipped over, several people were thrown out of the bus and ended up on the street. The police made it clear that the investigation is ongoing. Reports indicate that the collision was caught on camera as many of the buildings have security cameras. The police urged the owners of the premises to share the security footage and other information with them.

Justice and Police Minister Harish Monorath who visited the scene of the accident deemed the accident regrettable as it had claimed many lives. He urged people to drive carefully and to stay below the speed limit. The minister also offered his condolences to the relatives of the people who died in the traffic accident and gave his assurance that the government would look for measures aimed at improving traffic safety.