Yesterday we reported on two tower riggers who were killed when a crane failed. It happened in St. Margaret Village on the Hummingbird Highway. 19 year old Michael Pandy and 28 year old Keith Nicolas were employees of a company called Efficient Tower Service - and were setting up a 150 foot monopole tower in the village when calamity struck. The men who were harnessed to a section of the tower were hoisted into position by the crane. But the cable on the crane slipped off and the section of the tower went crashing towards the ground. The riggers did not fall off or were not crushed since they were both harnessed but it seemed either the crane's cable of the fittings on the tower damaged them badly and they both received massive injuries. Nicolas was transported to Belize City but died on the way - while Pandy was pronounced dead at the Western Regional Hospital hours later. Today Seven News caught up with his mother who is still trying to cope with tragedy.
Clarita Hinds, Mother of Michael Pandy
"I just got the news yesterday that my son got hurt in an accident by 31 miles and it 10 am. They call me at 1 pm and told me that he died in the morning. When I went there I ask them how he died. I want to know exactly how he died, so they
told that he was on the tower fixing a wire and the wire just let go and the tower fell on top of him. He got a injured in his back, behind his head and his jawbone and foot was broken. While they operated on him he died. I had asked for him on Wednesday night and a guy told me that he is working in Belmopan. I didn't hear about him from then."
Monica Bodden
"So he was just doing a little work up that side?"
Clarita Hinds, Mother of Michael Pandy
"Yes, because they have him work all around; Corozal, San Pedro and in different villages. I have to feel it because he is my son. I born him and I struggle hard to raise him in this world and put him through school and stuff like that."
The company was contracted by Telemedia to set up the tower for cell phone antennae.
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