SOCIAL studies teacher Charmaine Bennett and two of her colleagues – Elorene Simpson and Silvia Wauchope – left work at Clan Carthy High School in Kingston yesterday and were on their way home to Portmore when disaster struck.

Just before reaching the toll booth along Highway 2000 in Portmore, St Catherine, the Nissan motor car in which the three women were travelling collided with a trailer travelling in the same direction, injuring the teachers. The three were taken to hospital for treatment where Bennett, 31, died. The condition of the other two teachers was not ascertained.

There were conflicting reports on how the accident happened.

“All we can say at this time is that around 3:30 pm we were called to the scene of the incident and at this time the driver of the trailer truck is still being questioned,” a policeman from the Hunts Bay station told the Observer.

The report of the death of the teacher was, however, too much for her colleagues at Clan Carthy.

“(Is) she really dead?” asked one teacher, as tears rolled down her cheeks.

“The teachers just left the school on their way home; they came to me before they left and said that I should enjoy the rest of my evening and then this news,” said a shocked vice-principal Wilma Daley.

“Oh God, they just left school and were on their way home in Portmore; Jesus Christ!” cried a school official who had to

be consoled by highway policemen as the crushed remains of the silver Nissan, licensed 9606 EF, were removed from the scene by a wrecker.