124 dead, 82 injured in fires in last 7 years – GFS

Aug 13, 2024 News

Fire investigators and other officials inspecting the school dormitory where a fire killed 20 school girls in Mahdia last year

Kaieteur News – One hundred and twenty-four people died while 82 received injuries as a result of fires in the past seven years, Home Affairs Minister, Robeson Benn told the National Assembly.

Minister Benn was asked by Member of Parliament (MP) David Patterson to provide the statistics of the Guyana Fire Service annual disaggregated statistics for fires, including those claiming lives for the period 2017 – September 2023 in every region and district.
The statistics was divided into various sections to show deaths, injuries, and causes of the fires over the requested period. The report also gave a breakdown of the number of buildings and vehicles destroyed.
In Region One, the Mabaruma Fire Station recorded one death and no injury as a result of fires. They had a total of 15 fire calls for the 2017 – September 2023 period. The fires left 18 persons homeless.

Region Two where the Anna Regina Fire Station is located, saw four deaths and four persons injured. With a total of 651 fire calls, the fires left 84 people homeless.

The Leonora and La Grange Fire Stations in Region Three recorded 1744 fire calls. Six persons were injured and eight died. Also as a result of the fires 369 persons were left homeless.

Region Four saw 44 persons injured and 54 dying. With a total of 6110 fire calls, 1690 persons were left without a home.

Region Five which houses the Onverwagt Fire Station recorded 503 fire calls. Two persons were injured and 10 dies. A total of 96 ended up homeless.

Going over to Region Six with the New Amsterdam, Rose Hall and Corriverton Fire Stations recording 1959 fire calls, 16 people died, two were injured and 319 ended up homeless.

The Bartica Fire Station in Region Seven recorded 146 fire calls, with zero injuries, four deaths and seven homeless.

Mahdia Fire Station in Region Eight had no deaths or injuries until the Mahdia Dorms Fire which left 22 injured and 20 dead.

The Lethem Fire Station in Region Nine recorded 129 fire calls, though there were no deaths or injuries, seven persons ended up homeless.

Finally, Linden Fire Station in Region Ten recorded 751 fire calls with seven deaths and two injuries. As a result of fires, 206 persons ended up homeless. So far for the year 2024, eight persons including two children have died from fires. This figure is a drastic decline for the same period last year where 29 children and nine adults perished in fires.

Junior Anderson, a four-year-old who resided at A C-Field Sophia, Georgetown was killed on July 5, 2024 after fire gutted the one flat concrete home, which he was in. Neighbours recalled hearing screams as one of the children of the family ran out into the street screaming for help. After realising that the home was on fire, the Guyana Fire Service was called even as neighbours formed a bucket brigade aimed at saving the house and the four-year-old child who was trapped inside. Unfortunately, the fire was raging and public-spirited residents were unable to enter the building. Not even the firefighters were able to save the lad.
On July 11, 2024, Leroy Archer, a three-month-old baby died in a fire at Enmore, ECD that destroyed a two-storey wooden and concrete house. The house was occupied by four persons including the baby. Leroy and his two-year-old sibling, Lorenzo were home with his mother, Chandroutie Manickchand when the fire started. The children’s father, Leon Archer was at work.
Manickchand reportedly told investigators that she was showering in the lower flat of the house while the baby was asleep in the upper flat. The distraught mother reported that someone alerted her of the fire and she ran to the bedroom to remove the baby but the room was already engulfed in flames. This forced her to exit the house leaving the infant. The most recent death occurred on Friday 2 August, 2024, when a disabled boy, 18, was killed in a fire at Imbamadai Village, Cuyuni Mazaruni, Region Seven. The dead teen was identified as Lendon Cornelius. A fire reportedly erupted around 09:00hrs and destroyed the house where he lived. A video surfaced on Facebook of a small wooden house engulfed in flames. Persons were heard crying in the background.

• deaths, Fire Service, fires, Homeless, injured