ANTHONY Toussaint complained to his supervisor on Monday that the live wire he was working close to at a Maraval job site was a danger to his life. He was reportedly told that he could leave the job but he chose not to.
On Tuesday afternoon he was killed after "coming into contact" with the wire he had complained about earlier.
This was the story given to the Express by Cheryl Toussaint, wife of 27-year-old Anthony Toussaint. The distraught woman visited the Express offices yesterday demanding that "someone be held accountable" for her husband's death. On Monday the couple also celebrated two years of marriage.
According to police reports, around midday on Tuesday, Toussaint, a qualified welder, was atop scaffolding at a Saddle Road, Maraval jobsite of SuperPharm Limited when he came into contact with the "high tension" wires. He sustained burns to his head and face as 240 volts seared through his body.
Toussaint was taken to the Port of Spain General Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. A post mortem done yesterday concluded that he was electrocuted.
According to Cheryl, Toussaint had been employed with a small El Socorro-based contracting firm for about a year and since then he had been complaining about the dangers they had to contend with while on the job.
"Last week he went on a jobsite and complained about safety and his supervisor told him that he could leave the job," said Cheryl.
Cheryl said that in her attempt to get answers she visited the Maraval jobsite herself where she was told by other contract workers that the exposed wires had been "neatly tucked away," on Tuesday evening by T&TEC workers.
She also alleged that on certain job sites the employees would be furnished with the necessary safety equipment but on others this was not done.
Cheryl said that since the incident she has not "seen or heard" from anyone from Toussaint's employers. She did admit however speaking with a SuperPharm representative who promised to "do anything he can" to assist the family.
Maraval police are continuing investigations.
