On August 2, 1989, a tragic accident occurred when a 60-passenger bus collided with a car on Reservoir Rd in Suva and tumbled into a ravine. The accident resulted in the death of three individuals and left 43 injured. The following day, The Fiji Times reported that eight of the passengers were seriously injured, whilst 26 individuals were admitted to the Colonial War Memorial Hospital for treatment and nine were sent home after receiving medical care.
Joseph Lal, the bus driver who worked for Tacirua Transport Company, was reported to be stable. The Police did not immediately disclose the identities of the deceased passengers, waiting for their families to be informed first. The bus was travelling from Namadi Heights to the Suva Bus Station at the time of the accident.
In an unexpected turn of events, prisoners who were working at the nearby Suva Extension Cemetery were the first to respond at the accident scene. These individuals helped the injured passengers out of the wreck and flagged down passing vehicles for transportation to the hospital.
The injured victims at the crash site were quite the sight, with passengers piled on top of each other, bloodied and trapped under twisted seats of the bus wreckage, and the bus driver pinned behind a mangled steering wheel.
Despite the dire situation, some onlookers did not lend a hand, leading to the prisoners’ plea for help. Some eventually came forward and assisted, while others offered their cars to transport the injured to the hospital.
At the hospital, a special team composed of doctors, nurses and student nurses immediately sprung to action. They provided necessary medical treatments to the patients, some of whom required surgery, resuscitation, or oxygen.
The Fiji Times also learnt that a substantial team of 20 doctors, 13 student doctors, and several student nurses were summoned to assist in the emergency. In response to the accident, public service vehicles were targeted for stricter regulations, as announced by Police spokesperson Romanu Tikotikoca. Attempts to reach Tacirua Company’s MD, Surendra Singh for a comment were unsuccessful.