A probe into a Guyana dormitory fire that killed 20 children finds a series of failures
ABC News
A government commission in Guyana tasked with investigating a fire that killed 20 children at an Indigenous boarding school last year has found multiple errors and systematic failures
GEORGETOWN, Guyana -- A government commission in Guyana tasked with investigating a fire that killed 20 children at an Indigenous boarding school found multiple errors and systematic failures.
Calling for reforms to avoid a repeat of the deadly 2023 fire, the report presented to President Irfaan Ali late Friday found there was a delay in seeking help and contacting the fire station, and that when help arrived, there were issues with crowd control and access to the dormitory located in the town of Mahdia near the border with Brazil.
The report also noted there was a lack of water supply and found “inadequacies” in the fire service and firefighting equipment.
“These factors assisted with the speed of the conflagration,” said Brig. Gen. Joseph Singh, commission chair and retired army chief of staff.
The report confirmed that the May 2023 fire was intentionally set by a 15-year-old student, who was later arrested and charged with multiple counts of murder. Nineteen students and the infant son of the dormitory manager died. At least 14 other students younger than 18 were rescued from the blazing, one-story building.
