Boquete Bomberos Vehicle Involved in Serious Accident With A Bus

[Keith Woolford]

On 3/5/2018 at 3:16 PM, Marcelyn said:

Careful on the road to David near the Chopsticks Restaurant! Friends tell me about accident between a bus and pick-up earlier this afternoon. (Monday) Serious; no information regarding injuries/fatalities.

The impacted pickup truck belongs to the Bomberos.

https://twitter.com/laexitosapanama/status/970747724525076486

[Brundageba]

Bombero truck crossed the midline  and lauched off the ditch.  Head-on wreck.  The bus that was hit was moved a considerable way off the road into the ditch off the shoulder.  Strong impact.

[Keith Woolford]

4 hours ago, Brundageba said:

Bombero truck crossed the midline  and lauched off the ditch.  Head-on wreck.  The bus that was hit was moved a considerable way off the road into the ditch off the shoulder.  Strong impact.

They’re looking for O+ blood for the Bombero, Ricauter Rovira, who survived and is at Hospital Chiriqui.

 

[Keith Woolford]

13 hours ago, Brundageba said:

Bombero truck crossed the midline  and lauched off the ditch.  Head-on wreck.  The bus that was hit was moved a considerable way off the road into the ditch off the shoulder.  Strong impact.

More details this morning in this press report.

Firefighter Saved After Brutal Crash

Collision Occurred when the Pick-up Invaded the Other Lane

The second in command of the firefighters of Boquete, Ricaurter Rovira, is in delicate condition after suffering a collision on the main road to Boquete, in front of the MINSA Capsi of Alto Boquete, in the province of Chiriquí.

The accident was reported near the 1:13 yesterday afternoon when Rovira, who was driving the red pick-up of the Fire Brigade of Boquete, lost control of the steering wheel and the car invaded the lane opposite colliding with an international brand white.

The strong impact caused the bus driver to lose control and go off the road surface and fall into a ditch on the side of the road.

Product of the accident three persons traveling in the bus were slightly injured and were attended by paramedics from the SUME 911.

The Bombero, who had in serious injuries, was transferred to the Regional Hospital of David * with possible fractures in his legs and chest.

Elmer Castillo, Chief of the Operations Branch of the Transitos, added that investigations are being carried out to clarify facts and determine responsibilities.

Castillo said that to date there have been reported 7 deaths from traffic accidents in the province of Chiriquí.

At the time of making this note Rovira was in the operating room in a private hospital in the city of David.

The car that was driving the second corporal was totalled, and that he was saved from the wreck is a miracle. After the accident, several people came to help the wounded.

http://elsiglo.com.pa/cronica-roja/bombero-salvo-tras-brutal-choque/24051858

* Looks like he was moved from Regional to H.C.

[BD]

Appears to be a really bad accident. Hope the fire fighter comes through this okay. Apparently he is the deputy fire chief in Boquete. Or assistant fire chief, or whatever they call that position.

This information raises several questions. I have been told repeatedly that accident victims are taken to Regional Hospital in David. Yet Rovira was taken to Chiriqui Hospital, which is a private hospital. Is there a logical explantation why?

The caption on the news article photo suggests that the bomberos truck went into the opposing lane. That is kinda hard to do given the explanation of where the accident occurred. What details are available? Weather doesn’t seem to be a factor. Was this a mechanical failure? Driver mistake? Excess speed involved? Just curious here.

Nice that this ACCB group supported the family of the fire fighter. Who is ACCB? I have not heard of them.

[Bonnie]

As I read the article, he was taken to Regional and later transferred to Hospital Chiriqui, probably because of their superior operating room facilities.

It's not terribly unusual for cars to jump the median, as unlikely as that may seem. Barring mechanical failure, it appears that Bombero Rovira probably was at fault. At the very least he appears to have been speeding--to the fire in Alto Boquete.

[Moderator_02]

Here is more information about the injured firefighter as of Wednesday afternoon, March 14^th:

Quote

His name is Ricauter Rovira. He is still in intensive care, and will be moved to a room today or tomorrow. He is alert, oriented and talking well. That is a tremendous positive. He is still facing surgeries-- he has a fracture in one hip that will be repaired not replaced. He also has fractures in both legs, the two firemen that I was talking to understood both would require surgery.

He has an adult daughter, no wife, he has brothers and mother who live here in Boquete. The mother goes everyday to the hospital and stops by the fire dept on her way home and gives them a full report.  

We need to continue praying, he has a lot to go through yet.