OCHO RIOS, St Ann — A freak accident that claimed the life of a tractor operator at Noranda Bauxite company in Discovery Bay, St Ann, has left his colleagues stunned and in anguish.

Fifty-three-year-old Mark Wint died last Thursday after he was pinned between the bucket and body of the tractor he usually operates. The accident, the Jamaica Observer was told, occurred when Wint attempted to retrieve a bag that was stuck to a lever. That lever controlled the bucket. The effort of retrieving the bag dislodged the lever and the bucket slammed into Wint, pinning him to the tractor. He was pronounced dead on arrival at St Ann’s Bay Hospital.

Conrad Brown, who worked alongside Wint for the last seven years, has been traumatised by his colleague’s demise. He told the Observer that he has been having constant flashbacks since the unexpected death.

“Each time mi see the tractor mi just a remember him in there. Every move a just him [I remember] because both of us did a lot of work with the same tractor. Right now mi even scared to use the tractor, and it is going to take a time before mi go back in one,” he said. “I’m just so sorry he had to go that way. I really miss him and it is very hard for me.”

Brown said Wint, who was from De la Vega city, Spanish Town in St Catherine, was a man of God, someone in whom his colleagues could confide.

“He is always there for anyone of his co-workers; we could talk to him about any problem that we have. Once we reach out to him with any problems, after talking to him everything change for the better,” Brown shared. “Wint love to give counselling and always have something positive to say. He took up that responsibility to teach people and show them the right at all times.”

Another grief-stricken colleague, 58-year-old Raymond Davis, said the late father of three girls was a gem among his work family.

“Every morning him send a motivational text to his co-workers’ phones just to cheer up our spirits. He was always encouraging his co-workers to live good, just have a positive outlook on life. He was a member of the Peace Management Initiative in Spanish Town, always making sure society is a better place,” said Davis.

He, too, has not been coping well with Wint’s death.

“It rough, because mi know him for a while now and just to lose him in such a way really tears me up. The other workers here are also having a hard time but we are getting counselling,” Davis added.

Wint was an employee of Select Engineering, which was contracted to Noranda Bauxite. His supervisor, Andrew Richards, said he will be greatly missed.

“We can’t forget Mr Mark Wint. He was a very hard-working person, a team player and very spiritual. …Whenever we have devotions in the morning, he would always participate because he was a man of virtue and peace,” Richards said. “Our team right now is mourning because when we have a tragic thing like this, it is hard.”