WHEN Dr Jerry Emtage saw the gaping hole under an apartment complex at Arch Cot Terrace, Brittons Hill in St Michael, he said he ordered all excavation work on the land behind the building stopped.
The prominent urologist was giving evidence yesterday at the Coroner’s Court that is conducting an inquest into the death of Donavere Codrington, his wife Cassandra and her three children who perished on August 27, 2007, when the apartment building where they were living collapsed.
The doctor, who appeared in court dressed in his white medical coat, said he paid $44 000, a ten per cent deposit of the $444 000 cost of the land, to owner Ricardo Garcia. The land was located at Chelston Ridge, St Michael.
Emtage said that he went ahead and started excavation of the land to begin construction of an office complex, based on verbal permission given him by Garcia.
He told the court that while excavation was being done by C.O. Williams Construction, a hole was discovered and he was summoned to the site, along with the architects and engineers.
“At this time we recognised that this warranted extensive investigation, and on the advice of Mr Maynard for C.O. Williams, I procured the help of an agent from the Barbados Defence Force in conjunction with the surveyor to have a full survey of what lay below the hole.
“Based on this, all heavy worked was stopped, equipment removed and an investigation commenced,” he stated.
Questioned by attorney-at-law David Comissiong, Emtage said he had difficulty obtaining the financing to purchase the land, but that with permission granted he proceeded with the excavation, pending approval of the finance.
However, he stated he could not recall asking Garcia for a letter giving him permission to commence construction and that letter being denied.
“I was given permission verbally by Mr Garcia. It was a gentleman’s agreement. I did not think I needed to ask for permission in writing,” he told the court.
He said when he was called to the site to see the hole he dropped a rock into it and it took a long time to hit the bottom.
“When I looked through that hole I could see the foundation of the building – small concrete blocks to the apartment building.”
Asked if he knew there were caves in the area, the doctor said “a man at the bottom told us about the cave and we went into it one morning to look at it”.
He stated that he and his architect requested that “bore holes” be made, but the engineers “deemed it unnecessary” and he allowed the excavation to proceed even though he initially protested and was extremely concerned.
“I had hired the services of engineers. I could not make the decision as to what was the remedy for on top there. This was not a urological problem,” Emtage told the court.
