Durban -
A young labourer, who was working for a Transnet contractor, died at the weekend after he was injured in a blast in the Bayhead area of Durban harbour two weeks ago.
Keegan Barrett, 23, of Wentworth, was working for Marine and Hydraulics when the accident happened. He was in intensive care at St Augustine’s Hospital for two weeks before he died on Sunday.
Barrett had been working night shift but offered to stay on when the contractor apparently asked for two volunteers for the morning shift.
Megan Barrett, his sister, said the past two weeks had been traumatic, but last week they had had thought he would pull through after an operation.
Barrett had been busy with “pipe repair and testing” at the Port of Durban Island View complex when a pressure valve blew. His family now want to know what happened.
Transnet spokeswoman Finola Quarsingh told The Mercury on Monday that an investigation into the accident had been launched but said it would be premature to reveal details.
But his mother, Theresa Barrett, said she was upset at how the accident had been handled “from the onset”.
The family said they had learnt that the pipes were allegedly in “bad condition”. This could not be confirmed by Transnet.
Quarsingh said that safety requirements had been complied with
.
Service providers were required to undergo an induction before being issued with port access permits, she said.
The Mercury