Plans for a fun family get-together for the Christmas holidays turned into a gathering for a wake when a Barrackpore mother was killed in vehicular accident which left her husband, two children and niece hospitalised.
The accident which claimed the life of housewife Elizabeth Bridgelal, 35, took place shortly after 3 am along the MS Ring Road, when the family’s Wingroad and a Toyota Hilux collided. There are conflicting versions of how the accident took place, but the vehicles were heading in opposite directions.
Firefighters had to use the jaws of life to free the family members who were trapped in the wagon.
Bridgelal, fondly called Liz, died on the scene.
Her husband, Devenish Bridgelal, 35, who was driving, daughter Deliza, 15, son, Emerald, nine, and niece Vishacar Samlal, 15, were warded in stable condition at the San Fernando General Hospital up to late yesterday. The driver of the Hilux was also warded in serious condition at hospital.
Devenish’s sister Usha Sundar said the couple had attended a birthday party and were returning home when the accident occurred.
She said her brother and his children are aware that Brigelal died.
“He’s not the talking type but they were inseparable. He going to take that very hard. They were together 20 years.”
As Jehovah Witnesses, she said, they do not celebrate Christmas, but they had planned to have a family get-together. “We don’t celebrate Christmas, but Liz would still bake a ham, bake bread, and she would have gone to the grocery today. We were looking forward to spending the holidays together. But that squash, we have to prepare for wake,” she said as tears streamed down her face.