A worker at a glass and mirror company in Lautoka died shortly after six sheets of glass crashed down on him, causing fatal injuries to the back of his head.

The glass, measuring 2×3 metres each and weighing between 160-180kg each, came crashing down from a truck during offloading at Modern Glass and Mirror Limited, at the Namoli Industrial area in Lautoka at around 3pm on Friday.

Ratlesh Chandra, 27, who lived by himself at Delaitomuka in Lautoka died before reaching hospital after losing a lot of blood from the injuries he sustained.

The company’s branch manager Edwin Kumar said the workers at their workshop were devastated because they had a close bond amongst them.

“Ratlesh had been working for us for the past eight months and was one of our best employees,” Mr Kumar said.

He said four workers were offloading the glass sheets from the truck to put inside the workshop.

“We don’t know how it happened as the sheets of glass are in an incline position, facing inwards away from those offloading it,” Mr Kumar said.

“Somehow these six sheets just came crashing down on Ratlesh.

“The glass shattered and caused the injuries to Ratlesh.

“The boys working around him said he tried to escape was too late.”

Meanwhile, Mr Chandra’s sister, Keshni Devi, said her brother was staying with her and her husband, Nirendra Chandra Rao, at their Fiji Sugar Corporation home at Navutu in Lautoka for the past eight months.

“Two weeks ago he told us he was going to flat out with one of his workmates and he moved out,” she said.

“He called me on Thursday night and said he would come home on Friday after work.

“We were shocked when we heard the news and I was asked to identify the body at the mortuary and noticed the big cuts on the back of his neck and head.”

Mr Rao said no funeral arrangements had not been finalised as they had to wait for the post mortem on the body.

Police spokesperson Ana Naisoro said investigations were being carried out.

Edited by Rusiate Mataika

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