[ 2011-04-19 ]

What remained of the taxi after the felled tree crushed it, killing the 15-year-old student. INSET: The illegal chainsaw operator, Philip Opari

15-year old crushed to death by tree
A 15-year-old student of the Patahu Junior High
School met his untimely death after he had written
his last Basic Education Certificate Examination
(BECE) paper when a tree being felled by an
alleged illegal chainsaw operator crushed him in a
parked taxi.

The chainsaw operator, Philip Opari, 43, was said
to have illegally felled several trees which had
blocked the main road.

The police said when the taxi driver parked his
car and tried to find a way to manoeuvre on the
shoulders of the road, the operator fell another
tree which landed on the parked taxi.

According to the Tarkwa Divisional Police
Commander, Chief Superintendent Kojo Antwi Tabi,
the deceased was among candidates who had just
finished writing this year’s BECE.

He said Master Dankwah was one of the candidates
who had to travel from Patahu to their centre at
Dompem in the Tarkwa District to write their
papers.

The divisional commander said the police were
surprised that the chainsaw operator was operating
about 6 p.m. when visibility was poor.

Mr Tabi said after the incident, volunteers
managed to clear the wreckage but the deceased was
pronounced dead on arrival at hospital.
Master Dankwah’s body has been deposited at the
Tarkwa Government Hospital for autopsy.

Source - Daily Graphic

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