Guyana fire chief charged with dereliction of duty in fire involving 20 children

The Commission of Inquiry (COI) report into the Mahdia Secondary School fire that killed 19 girls and one boy early last year, Guyana Fire Service Chief Gregory Wickham said on Sunday.

A recent report to Guyana's President Irfan Ali noted that Wickham did not prioritize a report on poor fire safety at the school dormitory, which it received from Mahdia Fire Station NCO-in-charge Ryan Scott three months before the incident. .

The commission document revealed that Scott inspected the accommodation on February 7, 2023 and compiled a report to Wickham regarding the fire at the hostel. Any fire prevention system.

The building had only three fire extinguishers and all windows had bars, the report said.

Regarding the response of the region's firefighters on the night of the fire, the COI reported that the guard did not know Petty Officer Scott's number, so he was unable to call him.

For his part, Chief Warrant Officer Scott promised the investigation that members of the city should contact him through his personal mobile phone.

“The head of any country's fire department, holding such reports, is expected to go beyond the bounds of duty and service to ensure compliance. We believe that, under any circumstances, this is not the case for a fire department commander,” the IOC declared.

“We consider this to be a minimal measure and certainly not fulfilling the duties entrusted to the highest ranking fire officer in this country,” the commission added.

An inquiry team headed by retired Major General Joseph Singh concluded that the arson was deliberate and that a few hours earlier, a student had threatened to set the house on fire if she did not return her mobile phone. After 9:00 p.m

A 15-year-old student was charged in May 2023 with setting fire to a dormitory at a Guyana government boarding school on the night of May 21, causing the deaths of 20 minors.

19 girls staying in the hostel and a 5-year-old boy who was the son of a caretaker of the school died in the fire.

The school, which had heavy security against theft, making evacuation difficult, primarily served students from tribal villages outside Mahdia.

As many hill communities do not have secondary schools, some students who want to pursue higher education attend Mahdia High School.

The Guyanese president promised compensation to the affected families and counseling to all students, their families, teachers and community members.

Tribal communities, who in many cases feel abandoned by the government, have demanded reparations and justice after the tragedy. EFE