Act of kindness turns deadly in Falmouth

A Trelawny baker’s act of kindness ended in tragedy on Thursday when he died from suspected carbon monoxide poisoning after using his generator to help residents charge their phones and electronic devices in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa.

His friend, who was also inside the building, remains in serious condition.

The 40-year-old father of five, Gayan Dunbar, and his friend were found around 7 a.m. yesterday morning unresponsive inside a business establishment on Market Street in Falmouth, Trelawny.

Residents in the area theorised that he was killed by fumes from the generator, which had been operating in the building where both men had been staying since the hurricane.

“Look like dem drop asleep with it on or dem have it on in deh and it knocked dem out,” one woman shared, noting that the room had no ventilation to release the fumes from the machine.

They believe the men had been using the generator overnight to provide power.

The Gleaner team was at the Falmouth Hospital after 11 a.m. when a team of police officers took in Dunbar, who was pronounced dead by the attending physician as he lay motionless in the back of the service vehicle. One officer said his death was being investigated as a suspected case of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Dunbar’s friend had been brought in earlier.

A distraught sister of the deceased, Cordia Moulton, recalled waking up to the unexpected and frightening reality.

“Mi hear di crying, so mi a say a somebody dead, and mi spouse say, ‘Calm down’, and him go open the door and find him.

“Him deh every wey mi deh, no matter wey me deh. I am hurting, but I have to be strong for my family,” she said.

Quiet, hard-working

Moulton said their mother had recently been hospitalised, and as a result, she plans to delay informing her of her son’s passing and has restricted her visitation.

She remembered her brother as a quiet, hard-working, and kind man.

Her spouse, Dwayne, who was visibly distraught, said he was unable to put into words how he was feeling.

“Mi and dem up til 12 [last night]. Dem did a charge people phone. A mi open di door and see dem lying down on the ground,” he said sadly.

Two young girls, one of whom teary-eyed, said the men had just helped them the night before to charge their phones.

“Me cya believe him dead. He was always kind and very helpful,” one of them said.

An elderly lady, who was seated outside the building where tragedy struck, said the community was in mourning.

“It bad very much because we love dem. We coulda call dem fi do anything. They always willing. Both of dem a good person,” she said.

Echoing her sentiment, another resident who was nearby said, “Oh God! Mi cry when me hear. A yesiday mi and him and Hot Oil deh road.”

Another woman, Ann, who was passing by, said, “A yesiday we a say we lose so much, but at least we no lose no life, and now dis go happen.”

tanesha.mundle@gleanerjm.com