His friend Suresh had spoken to him in the morning: “He told me he had not come to work for four days…”
On Tuesday, November 26, a tragedy struck the town of Deux-Bras, New Grove, in the south of the island. Humbert Coco, a 44-year-old welder, died after a gas compartment exploded in a wastewater transport truck. The incident occurred around 3 p.m., while the worker was carrying out welding work in a garage in the village.
The explosion, of extreme violence, was fatal for Humbert Coco. The driver and owner of the truck, Uttam Koylash, 41, was seriously injured, particularly in the eyes. Rushed to Moka hospital, he is still under medical observation. Due to his condition, he has not yet been able to provide testimony to the police. Humbert Coco’s autopsy is scheduled for this Wednesday, November 27 at Victoria Hospital, in Candos.
The impact of the explosion was such that it was felt throughout the region, causing panic and fear among residents. In the meantime, on social networks, numerous testimonies quickly surfaced. A user of the Defimedia page writes: “Heard it. It even causes doors shakes at my place.” Another writes: “C véritéi lakaz ine tremble badinaz aprt” or even “Bku la kaz ine trembler” (Editor’s note, the testimonies are published in their original version).
Several Facebookers expressed their condolences to the victim’s loved ones and raised the dangers of welding work in waste tanks, which could contain methane, a highly flammable substance.
Residents in shock
The deafening noise of the detonation caused panic, pushing residents to rush out of their homes to understand what had just happened. They then learned of the explosion which left one person dead. Some knew Humbert Coco. Like Suresh who lives a few meters from the scene of the explosion. He said he was saddened by the welder’s death. “Mo ti pe get televizion ek mo madam kan nou tann enn grand boom. Laport, lafnet, tou inn tranble,” he explains. “Nou ti pe krwar dan Mare-Chicose sa,” continues the retiree. He came out of the house, like the other neighbors, but saw nothing. “Trant minit apre monn al laboutik pou pran dipin, lerla monn aprann ki enn kamion inn exploze, ‘Coco’ inn mor,” relates Suresh who knew the forty-year-old well.
“I have a tobacconist, he used to come and take minn with me. He’s been working there for a long time. We usually talk. I met him this morning, I told him he had a welding job to do, he told me on Sunday. I was not seeing him recently, he told me four days he did not come to work, see when he came what happened, “testifies Suresh, sadly.
A woman, who lives not far away, is also in shock. “A woman came to tell me Coco was dead, the tank exploded. He says Coco died under the truck. It’s very sad I have a small shop, I used to talk to him. He has already shown me pictures of his three children. Not easy, you go get your mouthful of food, oh I’m so sorry,” she says.
“It was scary. Everything in the house vibrated. We went out to look, so we thought it was an explosion in Mare-Chicose. It traumatized us. I am a sick person. That’s after we learned that a truck exploded and a man died. I didn’t know the victim,” says another resident.
“I was asleep at the time of the detonation. All the doors and windows shook. There are seven of us at home, we are all in shock. ‘Premie fwa tann enn zafer koumsa’,” says Ravi.
