A highway worker killed in the tunnel of the new La Aldea road

A Public Works and Infrastructures Highway Service employee of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, who has been named as 45 year old Juan Román PM, died on Tuesday just before noon when he was run over in one of the tunnels of the new road from La Aldea de San Nicolás. It is the first reported death on the new stretch of road since the it was opened in April 2017.

The operator was working inside a tunnel,  when he was run over by a driver, aged between 70 and 80 years old, and a resident of nearby El Risco, in Agaete, and who was driving a small truck. The allegedly driver did not notice the signals in the tunnel, which indicated that one of the lanes was closed to traffic due to the maintenance work that was being carried out inside it, nor did he heed the audible warnings through the loudspeakers.

After the report was received around 11.35 yesterday morning, the 112 Emergency and Security Coordination Centre (Cecoes 112) activated two ambulances from the SUC Canarian Emergency Service; a doctor from the La Aldea Health Center;  a helicopter belonging to the Emergency and Rescue Group (GES) was also deployed, which ultimately did not evacuate the victim who had already died at the scene of the accident; agents of the Local Police and the Civil Guard attended; and Firefighters from the Aldea Park Consortium.

The staff of the SUC and the doctor of the Health Center attended to the victim, who had serious injuries, and suffered a cardiorespiratory arrest as a result of being run over when he was being attended to by medical and health staff. Despite resuscitation maneuvers being performed, the man died at the scene.

The local police collaborated, while the Consortium Firemen took charge of securing the area of ​​the GC-2 road where the helicopter landed and where the traffic was interrupted.

Guardia Civil agents took charge of the corresponding proceedings.

The deceased worker was a well-known resident who lived in the village of La Aldea de San Nicolás. Juan Roman PM had been on the PSOE (socialist party) lists for the municipal elections.  Juan Román PM, who was an only child, leaves a widow, who is in a very advanced stage of pregnancy.

The pensioner who was driving had, according to sources, been warned several times to be careful when driving, and the circumstances of the accident are now under investigation.