The Tribune

By LETRE SWEETING

lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

A WELL-KNOWN Bahamian photographer is in hospital awaiting surgery after serious leg injuries and the complete write-off of his car after an ambulance slammed into his vehicle last week.

Shortly after 3pm on September 19, Franklyn Ferguson, a former photographer for The Tribune newspaper as well as several other news agencies, said he was hit by a Doctors Hospital ambulance while travelling on West Bay Street.

After being hit, Mr Ferguson said he was disoriented and several bystanders called an ambulance from Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH), which is where he remains now.

When he spoke to this newspaper on Tuesday, he said he was awaiting surgery for two fractures on his left leg.

“I’m told (my car) it’s a write-off, I can’t see it, because I can’t walk. The wrecker driver called me twice, he got my number. His concern was for his payment. I could not talk about my vehicle or anything, you know I’m in hospital,” Mr Ferguson said.

Mr Ferguson said though he has not heard anything from any officials of Doctors Hospital as yet, several kind family and friends, including Arawak Homes Chairman Franklyn Wilson have offered support during this time.

“Two of my cousins have been involved in my care. My sister is mainly responsible and my very dear close friend Franklyn Wilson has offered that whatever needs to be done, he will make it happen,” Mr Ferguson said.

When contacted for comment, a representative from Doctors Hospital said the matter is being investigated by police.

The hospital official said the accident took place while the ambulance was headed to an emergency.

They added that the facility did not have a contact number for Mr Ferguson and did not know the he was the person injured in the incident.

“My understanding is that our persons were also taken to be seen and examined in hospital as a result of the impact,” the hospital representative said. “There were separate ambulances that took everybody that was involved in the accident to their respective facilities.

“At the time, the police would have been on scene, they would have been taking statements and then medical treatment would have been provided to the various people on the scene. Our crew also had to go to the hospital to be examined. The ambulance was incapable of being driven, it actually had to be towed. My understanding is that it had to be towed from the scene.”

The hospital representative continued: “The ambulance was called out to an emergency, it was heading out to that call with its lights and sirens on, when it was involved in an accident with a little white van looking truck, I can’t say more than that. Like I said we can’t respond more, because we’re still waiting on the police to finish their investigation.”

Mr Ferguson has been a trained professional photographer for over 50 years, with experience from various news agencies and now has his own business, Ferguson Franklyn Photography.

Although Police were contacted they did not provide information on the accident up to press time.