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19 dead in school dorm fire in Guyana

- 3 days of national mourning declared
The fire reportedly started just after 11:00 PM on Sunday night while most of the children ere asleep. It quickly engulfed the heavily grilled wooden building, and that resulted in many of the children being trapped. Photo: News Source
Villagers recounted that the fire service was summoned moments after the blaze was noticed. By the time the firemen arrived, the entire building was engulfed in flames. Photo: News Source
Villagers recounted that the fire service was summoned moments after the blaze was noticed. By the time the firemen arrived, the entire building was engulfed in flames. Photo: News Source
President Mohamed Irfaan Ali, right, listens to a grieving parent. Photo: News Source
President Mohamed Irfaan Ali, right, listens to a grieving parent. Photo: News Source
MAHDIA, Guyana, SA- Guyana has been plunged into mourning following the death of 19 children in a fire at a school dormitory Sunday night, May 21, 2023.

18 of those who died were female students of the Mahdia Secondary School. The 9th child was a young boy who was the son of the caretaker of the facility.

A number of other children are nursing severe burns and other injuries.

According to News Source, the fire reportedly started just after 11:00 PM on Sunday night while most of the children were asleep. It quickly engulfed the heavily grilled wooden building, and that resulted in many of the children being trapped.

Villagers recounted that the fire service was summoned moments after the blaze was noticed. By the time the firemen arrived, the entire building was engulfed in flames.

The firemen were forced to hammer a hole through the concrete wall to reach some of the children.  They were able to save more than 20 of them.

3 days of national mourning

President Mohamed Irfaan Ali, who flew into the community for an on the ground assessment and to offer his sympathy to the families of those who lost their children, said the tragedy has left the nation broken and in mourning.

“This is a horrific incident and its tragic, it is painful and I cannot imagine the pain of the parents and of the children, and as a country we will have to deal with this”, President Ali said.

The Mahdia Secondary School houses a large number of students from outlying indigenous communities.

Many of them lived in the school dorm.

The President has announced three days of national mourning.

27 Responses to “19 dead in school dorm fire in Guyana”

  • ... (23/05/2023, 07:57) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    jah
  • Just Sad (23/05/2023, 08:30) Like (38) Dislike (1) Reply
    What a horrible tragic lost. My sincere condolences to all the families whose love ones was lost in the fire.
    • My only comment for the day (23/05/2023, 09:42) Like (21) Dislike (0) Reply
      @Just sad, I am also sending out my condolences to the Guyanese Community and to the families and love ones. Also to the person that dislike your comment, I would think that person hit the dislike button in error or is some kind of cold blooded heartless person that would dislike a sincere condolences to the families and everyone who was affected in the tragic events that occurred. I really hope the dislike button was hit in error.
    • WTF (24/05/2023, 09:20) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply

      @ Just Sad
      Who is that one @$%h*** who dislike this blog? Must be a very sad deranged person who has no feelings and cannot understand grief and pain. I feel bad for that lost soul. In the mean time I join with all the sympathizers of this horrific incident. So sad.

  • So sad (23/05/2023, 08:48) Like (18) Dislike (1) Reply
    May their little souls RIP.
  • annudda2cents (23/05/2023, 08:48) Like (18) Dislike (0) Reply
    This is so sad. My sincere condolences to the families that lost loved ones.
  • bvi (23/05/2023, 09:09) Like (22) Dislike (1) Reply
    Sad. Very sad. Deepest sympathy to our Guyanese community.
  • Alarming (23/05/2023, 09:47) Like (7) Dislike (5) Reply
    What material was used for construction?
    Was it equipped with fire alarms and exit signs?
    Fire drills?
    • to alarming (23/05/2023, 11:30) Like (5) Dislike (2) Reply
      We in BVI are not Guyana town planning and inspectors. As in everything else, these thoughts only come to mind after something happen. Whoever responsible is who have to answer. sad ting is it look like a government property (not sure)
    • @Alarming (23/05/2023, 15:07) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
      I am only going to say what is on my mind. I am saddened that those 19 humans had to perish in thaw fire. More than likely that school/dorm were not equipped with the above mentioned. It is okay to have security bars however, there should be a way to unlock the bars from the inside. Anyone that have lived in New York City in an apartment with a fire escape window with the safety bars that can be opened from the inside allowing you to open the window and walk down the fire escape.
  • AF (23/05/2023, 09:50) Like (0) Dislike (6) Reply
    Where is the latest news on AF. We want the first and accurately reported update. And u saying all who dying except your own here cause you know the reason
    • @AF (23/05/2023, 14:49) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
      Sorrow to say this on this sad occasion. Why do you have to be the donkey ( I said that nicely because of the Guyanese community) in the room?
  • Government (23/05/2023, 09:53) Like (8) Dislike (3) Reply
    have our premier sent a message of sympathy out to the Guyana people living here and to the government of Guyana? If not, this should have been done right away.
  • :( (23/05/2023, 10:06) Like (10) Dislike (1) Reply
    Window Bars are good & they are bad.
    • @:( (23/05/2023, 10:49) Like (10) Dislike (0) Reply
      I guess everyone will learn now from this mistake. They need to have a plan B in case something like have to reoccur. I'm thinking they will now try to get all school and hospital fully equipped with fire extinguisher and water sprinkler and better training and manager, an escape system in place and so on. People learn from mistakes, this is a tragic one ????. Sincerest condolences to all the family affected.
  • Xxx (23/05/2023, 10:46) Like (1) Dislike (5) Reply
    Poor children I wonder if this can happen here?
  • The Cause (23/05/2023, 10:51) Like (4) Dislike (2) Reply
    "The tragic fire which ravaged the Mahdia Secondary School Females Dormitory in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), resulting in the deaths of 19 children, was allegedly set by an aggrieved student.

    The student was reportedly upset that her phone was taken away by administrators of the dorm over concerns of her behaviour. She was reportedly previously suspended for engaging in activities contrary to the rules of the institution.

    Furthermore, the student was reportedly embroiled in an argument with the administrators of the dorm/school where she threatened to cause ‘trouble’."
  • Mrs Tubman (23/05/2023, 11:29) Like (8) Dislike (5) Reply
    A WOODEN structure ..a Dormitory!!!..for the purpose of housing scores of Sleeping Children in this the 21st Century...
    The Government, the proprietor.. the parents/guardians are all guilty of neglect and endangerment resulting in the deaths.
    Capital Murder!!!! Hang the perpetrators.
    • @Mrs Tub (23/05/2023, 18:40) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
      It's in the hinder land area have you not heard of Guyana 's lumbers. Lots of people in Guyana have wooden houses. Go vi block and get a quote for lumber and you will see it's not cheap. Guyana have lots so I don't see what the problem is if they use lumber. Anyway look at the picture you can see part of it is in blocks/concrete.
  • Sigh (23/05/2023, 13:58) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
    My condolences to the families. This is very heartbreaking.
  • @Mrs. Tubman (23/05/2023, 15:34) Like (1) Dislike (3) Reply
    Makes you wonder, that part of the Country is 3rd world. A wooden structure without proper safety and building codes sooner or later this will be the result. I feel terrible for those innocent children that perish in that Inferno.
  • Seriously (23/05/2023, 15:52) Like (1) Dislike (2) Reply
    So I guess the teachers manage to get home safe right??? But the kids die tell me if this story is coming true
    • @seriously (23/05/2023, 18:34) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
      Fyi. If the teachers are living in the community then yes they will go home after school. Not all the students there are from that community so that's why the government build the dorm for them to stay. Some lives many many miles away. There is no regular transportation often to and fro to some of the communities. This is a mining community very far from the costline where majority of Guyanese lived.
  • Ayean (23/05/2023, 22:00) Like (2) Dislike (3) Reply
    Guiana,another disappointing example of Independent Caribbean and has been for at least 50 years.
    Infamous for the savagery and abundancy of murders.



    ³
  • The real story (24/05/2023, 08:48) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    School child set school dorm on fire...MURDERER

    https://www.insider.com/teen-set-dorm-fire-killed-19-guyana-phone-confiscated-police-2023-5
  • PK (24/05/2023, 14:11) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Oh my God i could emanating the pain


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