Island doused

The heavy rains which fell yesterday may have left Barbadians wondering whether there was something strange in the water.

On one of the most eventful days in recent times, the bad weather brought the traditional flooding related problems but it was the events that occurred not directly related to the rain which may have left people scratching their heads.

The most serious incident was the death of 51-year-old Clement Alexander of St James, who was killed around 8 a.m. when he collided with a jeep as he was riding his bicycle along the junction of Pine Road and 5th Avenue Belleville, St Michael. He was the 12th road fatality for the year.

Another man, Cyprian Payne, 28, was shot multiple times at Nurse Land, Mansion Road, Bank Hall, St Michael, and had to undergo surgery at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. This incident occurred about 3 a.m.

Reports of sparks at the Charles Rowe Bridge Shell gas station in St George were unconfirmed. A check there revealed the station may have closed due to an electrical malfunction but the manager would not confirm this, instead saying the reasons were “nobody’s business”.

As a result, the gas pumps and the store were locked, leaving confused people standing outside.