Part of a heavy-duty chiller that slammed into Shedine Hernandez’ body in the explosion at El Pecos may have saved the life of the mother of three. On Thursday, an explosion in El Pecos’ kitchen in Royal Palm Plaza, Maraval, destroyed five food outlets and injured 16 people. Hernandez, 28, who has worked at El Pecos for 12 years as a cook, sustained burns on her face and arms. However, her relatives state that the explosions could have been fatal had the chiller not slammed into Hernandez.
“Either God or an angel saved my daughter,” a distraught Michelle Hernandez told T&T Guardian at the High Dependency Unit of the Port-of-Spain General Hospital. Michelle said Shedine received burns on her face and her arms but the rest of her body was relatively untouched by the flames because the chiller covered her body, somewhat protecting her. “My son who is up in heaven now saved my daughter’s life,” Michelle said.
Hernandez was able to free herself of the chiller and climb over a damaged wall into the next door restaurant, Hurry Curry, where she and another co-worker made their escape. When the T&T Guardian tried to speak to Hernandez, she was only able to mumble that she was experiencing pain in her back and arms. She said she was also missing “bits and pieces” of her memory from the explosion and she would need help from a co-worker to recall all the events.
Hospital well equipped
Judith Baliram, CEO of the North West Regional Health Authority (NWRHA), said two out of the 11 people who were taken to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital had been discharged. One was discharged on Thursday and the other was discharged yesterday. The remaining nine persons were warded for observation.
Though T&T has not yet established an official burn unit, Baliram said, “The burns can be treated comfortably in Port-of-Spain General Hospital. At the moment all the patients are being treated. If advance treatment is needed from the other facilties, we will seek that assistance accordingly.” Baliram added that all the patients were currently in stable condition. She said the hospital also had a plastic surgery unit to tend to the patients’ needs.
Health Minister Dr Fuad Khan said though the country did not have an official burn unit, such injuries could be treated in any surgical unit. However, Augustus Long Hospital at Pointe-a-Pierre and Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex in Mt Hope had specialised facilities to treat burns if necessary, he said. “Whatever services we can provide, we will. Others will seek external help. External means abroad if necessary,” he said.
Khan added that he had confidence that the surgical unit and the plastic surgery unit would be able to treat the patients.