Africa-Press – Mauritius. The Mauritius Fire And Rescue Service is in mourning after the death of one of their own. Loganaden Chocalingum, better known as Ajagen, was hospitalized for more than three months after a road accident in Mapou and breathed his last at the SSRN hospital in Pamplemousses in the early hours of April 19.
The autopsy carried out by the police medical examiner, Dr Prem Chamane, concluded that Ajagen Chocalingum died as a result of sepsis. The 45-year-old firefighter, a father, was the victim of a serious road accident on January 1 of this year at the Mapou roundabout.
He was going to work this first day of the year to take the evening shift. Ajagen Chocalingum had left his home in Bois-Rouge to take up his post at the Piton station.
His motorcycle veered off the road as he negotiated the roundabout and after hitting the edge of the roundabout, causing the 40-year-old to lose his balance.
Seriously injured, he was first transported to the SSRN hospital in Pamplemousses, to then be transferred to the Victoria hospital in Candos where he underwent delicate surgery.
He was again transferred to Pamplemousses hospital. Relatives of Ajagen Chocalingum explain that he had suffered serious spinal injuries and had been placed on artificial respiration for a long time.
Ajagen Chocalingum colleagues and those who knew him speak of a brave and combative firefighter. “He was very dedicated to his work and also had the welfare of the firefighters at heart.
A member of the firefighters’ union, he represented those of Piton”, says Ashraf Buxoo, Organizing Secretary of the Government Service Employees Association (GSEA), who says he is saddened by this disappearance and presents his sympathies to the family of the deceased and those afflicted by this loss.
He wonders if it is not time to review the workmen compensation. “The death of this officer in these circumstances is sobering. I had made a request in the past to the Pay Research Bureau (PRB) that firefighters be covered one hour before they go back to work because they are on their way to take on duty.
Firefighters are only covered by insurance at this time while on duty. The question that arises is if the fact of taking the road to get to work, is not already ‘in the exercise of our functions’? We hope that the PRB will consider this situation after this tragedy,” he said. Ajagen Chocalingum had joined the fire brigade in August 2001 and had 22 years of service. He was assigned to Piton and Port-Louis among others.
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