A sudden workplace tragedy has plunged a Bahamian family into profound grief, just hours after the patriarch shared his love with his eldest child. John Walkes, a 68-year-old painter and contractor from Exuma who had traveled to Bimini to find steady work, was killed by electrocution while on the job at the Bimini Blue Water Marina on Saturday. The fatal incident has left his wife of many years and five children grappling with the unanticipated loss of a man who dedicated his life to providing for his family.
Local law enforcement officials confirmed they were first notified of the industrial accident at approximately 2:45 p.m. The marina is located along Kings Highway in Alice Town, a busy commercial district on the island. Initial investigation findings show Walkes was completing painting work alongside a second contracted employee when he accidentally made contact with an exposed transformer positioned between a marina building and the ground. The electrical contact immediately sparked an intense fire that engulfed Walkes.
His shocked co-worker rushed to retrieve a fire extinguisher to put out the blaze, but when he returned to the scene, Walkes was already unresponsive. Emergency medical personnel were called to the site quickly, and a local doctor pronounced Walkes dead moments after arriving. Police have launched a formal investigation into the circumstances of the accident to determine what safety lapses or factors led to the fatal incident.
Elizabeth Walkes, the victim’s daughter, spoke publicly to local media this week, explaining the family first learned of her father’s death from a mutual family friend. She described the news as utterly devastating, particularly for her mother Mavis, who has been left reeling from the loss of her partner. “We’re still processing it,” Ms. Walkes told The Nassau Tribune in an interview on Monday. “We’re grieving, and it’s going to take a while to really get over it.”
Ms. Walkes painted a portrait of her father as a tireless, committed worker who traveled across the Bahamas’ Family Islands for years to take contracting and painting jobs to support his wife and children. After completing stints of work on Abaco and Grand Bahama, Walkes recently made the move to Bimini after securing a new painting contract. He had told family he was enjoying his time on the island and had already made plans to have two of his three sons join him to work on upcoming projects.
“He was a very hard worker, a dedicated person and a go-getter,” Ms. Walkes said of her father. “He was always trying to provide for his family.”
Tragically, the final conversation Walkes had with his family came just a few hours before the accident, when he spoke by phone with his eldest son, John Walkes Jr., about his religious faith. “My brother told him, ‘Daddy, I love you. I’ll talk to you later.’ Then a few hours later we heard the tragic news,” Ms. Walkes recalled.
A deeply devout man, Walkes raised his children to prioritize faith, encouraging regular prayer and fasting and often reminding his family that “Only what you do in Christ will last.” He was also deeply family-oriented, regularly calling his children to check in even when he was working hundreds of miles away from home. That constant closeness has made his sudden death even harder for the family to process, Ms. Walkes explained.
As of earlier this week, the family had met with investigating officers to share what they know about Walkes’ work at the marina, but no representatives from Bimini Blue Water Marina had reached out to offer condolences or discuss the accident. Cyril Walkes, the victim’s nephew, said his uncle was an inspiration to everyone in the extended family, particularly after he transformed his life through faith and became a reliable pillar of strength for his loved ones.
“He never gave up. He found God and turned his life around,” Cyril Walkes said. “He was a giver, a jack of all trades and someone who always wanted to do something positive.”
Walkes is survived by his wife Mavis, three sons, two daughters, and an extended network of loved ones across the Bahamas. He was just weeks away from celebrating his 69th birthday, which is scheduled for November 27. Bimini’s Member of Parliament Randy Rolle issued a formal statement of condolence to the Walkes family on Sunday, noting that local authorities are continuing work to identify the exact cause of the electrical incident. The investigation aims to clarify the source of the dangerous electrical current to help implement stronger safety safeguards that will prevent similar tragedies in the future.