Doctors called in from leave as trauma centre tackles first major disaster

Dubai: The emirate's worst traffic accident of the year yesterday tested the capacities of the country's only trauma centre.

A bus carrying 54 workers with CSEC Middle East for a Palm Jumeirah project collided with a minibus, from Fujairah, carrying workers from a shipping company, on Shaikh Zayed Road.

The accident is believed to be due to a fatal combination of rain and speed.

Ambulances carrying the injured and dying men started arriving at the Rashid Hospital Trauma Centre at 7.36am, eight minutes after the emergency call came through from Dubai Police.

The centre treated 69 workers, with nine requiring surgery and critical care, according to Rashid Hospital.

One of the first police officers on the scene, who asked to remain anonymous, told Gulf News that it was the worst accident he had seen in his three years in the force. "There was so much blood in the bus. It was terrible," he said.

Mohammad Elyas Miha, a 40-year-old worker with CSEC Middle East, told Gulf News he was sitting in the middle of the bus, the point of impact. "I saw the foreman [sitting next to me] die," he said. The father of two from Bangladesh was injured in the legs, hands and neck.

Pyari Lal, another worker with CSCEC Middle East, said: "I was trapped in the bus for some time. I wasn't really aware of what was going on after that."

A Rashid Hospital spokesperson said all emergency department staff, including those who were off, were called in.

Dr G.Y. Naroo, specialist senior registrar in charge of emergency department at the centre, told Gulf News 24 doctors, supported by staff in the main hospital, attended to all 69 cases within two hours despite some initial problems with the communication system.

"It would have taken us a minimum of six hours under the old system," he said.

'I cannot forget people crying in pain'

Ayman Mohammad Abdul Hadi, a mechanical engineer, witnessed the accident on his way to work.

"I was driving behind the minibus ... [the big yellow bus on the road from Abu Dhabi] was speeding, probably doing more than 110 km/h on the fast lane. ... It had been raining for 30 minutes .... Suddenly the driver lost control .... He made a hole in the fence and went into [my] side of the road. The bus was sliding on the road, sparks flying the whole time. The minibus in front of me ... couldn't avoid the big bus ... when I passed by the buses I could see people crying in pain. I was trying not to look but I cannot forget the sound of the people crying."