BRIEFS

Two burnt to death in four-vehicle accident

Personnel at the St Michael’s Funeral Home in St Ann were tasked to remove the charred remains of two individuals who were burnt beyond recognition after their vehicles caught fire on impact in a four-vehicle collision.

The accident occurred along the Runaway Bay to Discovery Bay main road in the garden parish of St Ann yesterday sometime after 3 p.m.

Emergency personnel from the Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) and Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) attended the fiery scene.

The collision reportedly involved a Toyota Mark X, a BMW X6 SUV, a Hilux truck and a tour bus.

The drivers of the BMW and Mark X are reportedly among the dead.

The driver of the Hilux sustained minor injuries while the driver of the tour bus, which ran off a bridge, suffered more serious injuries.

The Gleaner was told that there were no passengers were on the bus.

“Only the driver was in the tour bus. He sustained a broken limb and was transported to hospital,” a source close to the matter told The Gleaner.

Curious onlookers captured footage of the blazing vehicles with the now deceased trapped inside.

Up to press time, the incident had caused a gridlock along the usually busy corridor.

The St Ann traffic enforcement branch is probing the fatal accident.

JPS president & CEO resigns

The Jamaica Public Service Company Limited (JPS) yesterday announced the resignation of its president and CEO, Steve Berberich.

“A recent death in my family and other pressing matters have prompted a need for me to be geographically closer to them,” explained Mr Berberich in a release from the JPS. “I know the time has been short but it has been an honour to lead JPS, facilitate improvements in customer care and reliability, and renew the brand perception,” he said.

“Berberich established himself as an integral part of the company and the Jamaican community,” the release said. “His leadership and vision for an improved electrical infrastructure in Jamaica will be missed.”

The release also said that the JPS board of directors met and named Damian Obiglio, the current chairman, as the acting CEO. He will take over effective February 5 and will remain in that role until a new CEO is seated.