Fire hydrant repair worker wounded in shooting
FIRE hydrant maintenance worker Gregory Forgus had a traumatic first day back at work when he had to drive himself to safety after being shot at four times.
Forgus, who works for the City’s Fire and Life Safety Department in Mitchell’s Plain, was repairing fire hydrants on New Eisleben Road recently when he was confronted by the driver of another vehicle.
The driver accused Forgus of knocking into his vehicle.
“When they (Forgus and his colleague) got to a certain point on their stops, a vehicle pulled up behind them and the guy started screaming that Forgus drove into them. Forgus realised that this was a strategy to get him out of the vehicle in an attempt to rob them. He ran back to the vehicle and as he was starting the car the guy shot numerous times into their vehicle,” said safety and security Mayco member JP Smith.
Forgus’s father Colin said: “The surgeon said it was a miracle that he survived. He still has a bullet lodged in his arm and they were wary of operating, as it is deep. They are concerned it may cause further damage.”
He said his son had just returned to work after being off for an operation. His son’s wife was not coping, he said. “She’s still not able to sleep.”
Smith said Forgus’s colleague escaped unscathed. “He is lucky to have survived. The other staff member ran away when the shots started, Gregory was left alone and he had to drive himself to safety in that condition.”
No one has been arrested yet.