IT WAS A HECTIC morning for emergency officials as they responded to at least three accidents in the space of two hours.
The first collision occurred around 6:10 a.m. along Black Rock Main Road, St Michael in the area of Terrific Tiles.
It involved a minibus driven by Anderson Squires, 47, of Oxnards, St James and a truck driven by Tony Clarke, 68, of Fitts Village, St James.
Sixteen passengers and the drivers of both vehicles were injured.
Clarke had to be freed from his vehicle by personnel from the Barbados Fire Service. He received multiple fractures to both legs, and was transported to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital by ambulance where his condition is listed as critical but stable.
Squires received a laceration to the forehead and abrasions to his arm.
The other injured people complained for pain to the neck and back and abrasions to the body.
They were treated on the scene by Dr David Byer and in some cases, referred to the nearby Branford Taitt Polyclinic for further medical attention.
A 21-year-old woman was also transported to the QEH for medical attention after complaining of dizziness and pain to the body.
The mass casualty response included two fire tenders from the Barbados Fire Service under the command of divisional officer Errol Gaskin, eight fire officers, three doctors and four nurses from the QEH.
Two ambulances from the QEH and one from the Barbados Defence Force also responded along with personnel from the BDF.
Around 7:55 a.m. a car and a motorcycle collided along the Barrow Section of the ABC Highway, between the Everton Weekes and Clyde Walcott Roundabouts.
The car was driven by Kenneth Campbell, 54, of Crystal Heights, St James, while 31-year-old Akil Prescod of Jackson, St Michael rode the motorcycle.
Prescod received injuries to his left foot and was transported to the QEH by ambulance.
Five minutes later, an accident occurred at Welchman Hall, St Thomas involving a pedestrian and a car.
The driver was 28-year-old Mario Murray of Eden Lodge, St Michael while the pedestrian was Glendene Grace, 13, of Bryan Road, Welchman Hall.