Postby TriP » September 28th, 2016, 2:22 am
Local Camp Omega Tragedy 1988
WE, WHO WERE IN THE TTCG AT THE TIME, WERE THE FIRST ONES TO ARRIVE AT THE SCENE, AFTER HEARING A LOUD EXPLOSION AT ABOUT 1500 HRS, AS WE LOOKED UP AT THE MOUNTAIN BEHIND THE DORM, WE SAW LARGE ROCKS, UP IN THE AIR LIKE PAPER BLOWING IN THE WIND.
THAT DAY, WE WERE ABOUT TO MUSTER TO GO ON LIBERTY, WHEN LEAVE WAS STOPPED, WE WERE ORDERED TO CHANGE BACK INTO BATTLE FATIGUES. AS WE ARRIVED AT THE SCENE, WE STARTED PUTTING BODY PARTS BACK TOGETHER, TO MAKE UP WHOLE HUMAN BODIES.
THE BUILDING, WHICH HAD EIGHT FOOT THICK WALLS WERE COMPLETELY GONE.
AB WILLIAMS WHO WAS AN AIRMAN IN THE COAST GUARD AIRWING, WAS RIDING ON THE RESTING PLATE OF THE COAST GUARD HELICOPTER, DIRECTING THE PILOT WHERE TO GO, BECAUSE THE DUST WAS THICK AS BLACK SMOKE, VISIBILITY WAS POOR.
On April 26, 1988, a brush fire in the vicinity of Camp Omega, Chaguaramas, quickly spread to the nearby Camp Omega Arms and Ammunition Bunker resulting in a horrific explosion. Four Fire-Fighters and two Soldiers perished while valiantly attempting to bring the situation under control. Several other National Security Officers suffered injuries as a result of the explosion. This explosion was so catastrophic that it was recorded on the Richter Scale and parts of the bunker were found hundreds of metres away from ground zero.
This incident became the darkest day for National Security Officers as it marked the single most tragic event to date. Six National Security Officers made the ultimate sacrifice in the pursuit of safety for the citizenry. In honor of these six heroes, the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago has dedicated April 26th each year as National Security Officers Day of Appreciation.
The Omega Station was one of only three in the world, it was built by the Americans with eight foot thick walls. Way below ground, there was a tunnel, that led to the beach we know today as "Small Boats". The purpose of this tunnel, was to hide submarine during world war 1 & 2. The building consisted of lots of radios and a very large generator that lit up the entire base.
The Trinidad government used this building to store explosives for quarrying, it was not equipped with sprinkler systems etc. With the summer weather, the building became over heated and the explosives exploded.
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