Ont. van crash responder appalled by gawkers
Written by on February 9th, 2012 in Latest News.
One of the first people on the scene of the crash that killed 11 people in Hampstead, Ont., on Monday says he is appalled by passersby who gathered at the scene only to record the carnage on their phones.
Rick Sherwood, 45, was driving behind the truck that collided with a van carrying 13 migrant workers. Ten of the migrant workers were killed, while the truck’s driver also died.
Sherwood, who has first aid training, helped pull the three survivors from the twisted wreckage of the van. As emergency workers arrived, he gave way.
It was only then that he noticed a handful of people gathered around the scene, recording the aftermath or taking photos with their phones.
Sherwood said it took a moment to realize what was happening.
“What’s going through these people’s minds? People have lost their lives here. People are trying to cling onto life here, and what could be the possible benefit to recording this?”
Sherwood said he knows not everyone can help, but was appalled by what he saw and felt terrible for the victims.
“These people, that decency was robbed from them,” he said. “They’ve never had the choice to say place me on Facebook, place me on YouTube, keep me as a souvenir.”
Craig Calver, a paramedic who was at the scene Monday, said the choice of a passerby to stop at an accident depends on how prepared he or she is to deal with a crisis situation.
Calver said a person with training can be a help.
“If you’re the first person there and that person is in danger where they are and you can help them in some way, then that’s a personal choice that you have to make,” he said.
Passersby recording crash sites ‘nearly expected’
Calver said he’s accustomed to people rubbernecking at accident scenes.
“It’s kind of a rare occasion now when something doesn’t get caught on film and it’s nearly expected,” he said.
He urged people to consider the feelings of the victims.
“How would you want someone to react if you were that person?” he said.
Meanwhile, one of the three migrant workers who survived the crash is said to be improving.
Juan Ariza’s condition has been upgraded to stable, after he was originally taken to Stratford General Hospital in critical condition.
The 35-year-ancient Ariza, who has a wife and a six-year-ancient child in Peru, has been transferred to a London hospital.
Edgar Sulla-Puma, 26, and Abetardo Alba-Medina, 38, remain in critical and stable condition, respectively.
The funeral for the 38-year-ancient truck driver killed in the crash, Christopher Fulton, will be held Saturday in London.
