Family of Lyford Cay Industrial Accident Victim: “This Is a Wake Up Call for The Bahamas”

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – The two men who lost their lives in the deadly industrial accident in Lyford Cay have now been identified by their families as 42-year-old Gary Touissant and 38-year-old Deanko Miller.

The men died after the ground collapsed beneath them at a construction site, trapping them under soil.

Miller leaves behind two young daughters, ages two and six.

His sister Deante Miller was faced with the heartbreaking task of identifying her older brother, on her own birthday.

She recalled their last conversation she had with her brother the night before his death.

Deante Miller – Sister, Deanko Miller

“We were actually talking about my grandmother and just, you know, her humor that she has. He actually told my grandmother that I’ll see you tomorrow evening if I live. That’s the first time, he’s done something like that before.”

Miller’s aunt, Linda Wallace and his father Wayne Miller say their family took a big loss.

Wayne Miller – Father, Deanko Miller

“And we was pretty close. He’s my oldest son, oh boy, my oldest child.”

Linda Wallace – Aunt, Deanko Miller

“We loved him. He was well loved.”

Miller’s sister says the family wants to know exactly what happened, and whether more could have been done to prevent the tragedy.

Her concerns come as the Ministry of Labour has been cracking down on safety violations at construction site, including halting work at four sites in western New Providence in July.

Deante Miller – Sister, Deanko Miller

“We really just need to know what happened around the circumstances.”

“Being on a construction site, I’m sure, like, there isn’t no safety specialists, no engineers who knowing that the ground wasn’t sufficient enough for them to hold these statues or whatever they were building. But, you know, I think this is a wake up call for The Bahamas.”

Miller also questions the emergency response.

She alleges her brother was trapped underground for about 45 minutes, and says the family is left wondering whether a faster response could have changed the outcome.

Gary Touissant’s family was also at the morgue today however, they were too overcome with grief to speak.

Now, Our News also reached out to the private company the men worked with, but they declined to comment.

The circumstances surrounding the deadly accident remain under investigation.