Philipsburg:--- A Guyanese national identified as Carsdale Aaron (55) who was working as a mechanic for St. Maarten Concrete on Arch Road is now a patient at the St. Maarten Medical Center where he is nursing burn wounds on 80% of his body. The victim in an exclusive interview with SMN News said on June 15th 2011 he went to work but his boss at St. Maarten Concrete, Nelson Stanford informed him that they were not going to work on that day because of heavy rain fall. Aaron said he return to his home and sometime around 11am that same day, he received a call from the welder that operates and manages a welding shop at the St. Maarten Concrete requesting that he return to work since they were busy repairing and cleaning a gasoline tank for BBW. Aaron said when he reached the location his boss advised him to accompany him to his house but the welder insisted that they needed to clean and weld the gasoline tank. He said he went inside the tank to clean it and while inside of the tank the welder whose name has been given an Rommel Bess or "Fineman" began welding the tank on the outside causing it to explode while Aaron was still inside the tank. Aaron was transported to the St. Maarten Medical Center where he is currently being treated for the second degree burns but no one he said is taking responsibility for the accident. He said since he has been hospitalized he has not received his salary. Besides that Aaron said the St. Maarten Medical Center is not a burn institute and while the doctors and nurses are doing their very best to treat him, someone he said has to take on the responsibility to have him taken to a burn institute outside of St. Maarten. Aaron said while at the St. Maarten Medical Center a police officer (detective) visited him and told him that the case belongs to the Safety Inspectors and not the police. He said the team from VROM also visited him once and they never returned.One of Aaron's brothers who resides in the United States contacted SMN News on Wednesday asking for his brother's predicament to be investigated. In a letter to SMN News, Collin Aaron said he was contacted on June 16th and informed of the incident. Collin Aaron said since the incident took place, his brother was left unattended since he has no immediate relatives on the island to take care of his affairs. Carsdale Aaron however, said his colleagues would visit him but the general manager of St. Maarten Concrete Franklyn David only visited him once and he has never returned. David he said has so far refused to take responsibility claiming that the welding shop does not belong to him or either St. Maarten Concrete. Collin Aaron said his brother only received half his salary for the month of May while he is yet to receive his June salary.
When SMN News visited the site on Wednesday, we were told that the welding shop that is located close to the fence inside the yard of St. Maarten Concrete belongs to another Guyanese national who has since abandoned the shop. Nelson Stanford said the welding shop is not part of St. Maarten Concrete, he however, admitted that the welder known as Fineman did odd jobs for St. Maarten Concrete and other companies in the area. The gasoline tank that Aaron and Fineman was working on that day Stanford said belonged to BBW and they believe that BBW should be the one to should shoulder the responsibility of the accident. When asked if St. Maarten Concrete rented the spot to the welder or if there is any written agreement with the welder and St. Maarten Concrete to show that the welding shop does not belong to St. Maarten Concrete and that could not be provided by St. Maarten Concrete. Stanford said the welder has since moved his equipments to Cupecoy and the police and inspectors from VROM were trying to locate the man. He said three persons from VROM visited them and are said to be making up a report on the incident. Stanford said on the day in question he told Aaron on three occasions to get out of the tank since he did not have the necessary equipments to clean a gasoline tank. He said Aaron took his own risk when he decided to work with the welder that day because he did not work for St. Maarten Concrete due to heavy rain. Stanford further explained that Aaron did not even clock in his time card that morning.However, VROM head of Inspections Henry Ellis said that he already closed off the investigations because they were informed two weeks after the incident occurred. Ellis said because of the lateness, he neither his staff were able to gather evidence which would show negligence. In the meantime, Public Prosecutor Barth Den Hartigh said his office will be investigating the incident since the victim's brother also sent them a letter and pictures. The Public Prosecutor said his office still has to discuss with the police and a decision will be taken as to who would have to conduct such an investigation.