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Guyana: Police say schoolgirl started deadly fire

May 24th, 2023 | Tags:
Police say they will send a file to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) on Wednesday after indicating that the deadly fire at the dormitory at a secondary school that resulted in 19 students being killed had been started by a female student. Photo: Loop News
LOOP NEWS

Police say they will send a file to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) on Wednesday after indicating that the deadly fire at the dormitory at a secondary school that resulted in 19 students being killed had been started by a female student.

The school housed female students from Mahdia, Campbelltown, Micobie, El Paso and several other villages in the North Pakaraimas in Region 8 

“Several of the students were interviewed in the presence of a Probation Officer, and statements were taken. The scene is presently secured and guarded by ranks as investigations continue,” the police said in a statement, adding “the Police file will be sent to the DPP tomorrow morning (Wednesday)”. 

In the statement, the police said that the investigations so far into the fire that swept through the dormitory at the Mahdia Secondary School 100 miles south-west of Georgetown during the early hours of Monday “reveal that a female student is suspected of having set the devastating fire because her cellular phone was taken away by the Dorm’s mother and a teacher” 

The statement said that at the time of the fire, there were 57 female students in the one-flat concrete building measuring about 100 feet by 40 feet, with several windows, all grilled, and with five doors. 

“According to the female students, they were asleep and were awakened by screams. Upon checking, they saw fire/smoke in the bathroom area, which quickly spread in the building, causing several students to receive burns to their bodies and smoke inhalation, whilst several managed to escape. 

“The injured students were taken to the Mahdia District Hospital, seen, examined and admitted patients by doctors. At the hospital, five of the female students were pronounced dead.” 

The police said that a search was carried out in the building, which was completely destroyed by the fire, and 14 burnt remains of human beings were found. 

The statement said that the government’s pathologist, Dr Nehaul Singh performed post-mortem examinations on Monday with dissections on six of the bodies and that the “cause of death was given as smoke inhalation and burns, respectively”. 

The police said that the bodies were identified by relatives and handed over to them for burials. They said 13 of the burnt bodies were taken to Georgetown and are presently at the Memorial Gardens Funeral Home for storage and DNA purposes. 

The police added that17 students who were taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) for medical treatment “are in stable/critical condition,” while 11 others who were taken to the Mahdia District Hospital are also in a stable condition. 

Meanwhile, President Dr Irfaan Ali said DNA samples from the bodies of the unidentified victims will be sent to the Mount Sinai laboratory in New York and test results will be back here on Friday. 

The team is in the process of collecting all samples from the remains and from the parents after which those samples will be packaged and transferred sometime tomorrow to Mount Sinai. 

“They will be flown to Mount Sinai labs in New York because this lab provides the shortest return time in terms of the results,” the President said during a live update on Tuesday. 

Ali said Cuba, the Caribbean and the United States (US) have offered to assist Guyana with treatment of a number of schoolgirls who were severely burnt by fire. 

“We cannot also not remember the generous offer of Cuba yesterday (Monday) to give us full medical support in and out of Guyana and to be a host country for any medical needs in Cuba,” he said, announcing that the first funeral for those killed will be held on Thursday. He identified the victim as Sabrina John, who will be laid to rest in her home village of Karisparu, Region Eight. 

“I continue to pray to that the mercy, love, patience of God be with all these families and be with us as a nation,” Ali said, adding that a flower laying ceremony will also be held at the Mahdia hostel on Wednesday. 

Ali said the ceremony will be attended by foreign diplomats based here and that the country’s Flag raising ceremony that had been scheduled for Thursday night as part of the Independence celebrations, will now be converted into a night of prayer and remembrance for the children who perished in the fire. 

“This independence will now be dedicated through prayer and remembrance to these our beautiful children of Guyana,” President Ali said. 

7 Responses to “Guyana: Police say schoolgirl started deadly fire”

  • So sad (24/05/2023, 10:37) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
    What utter evil - all because of a cell phone being confiscated. She has caused so much heartache and suffering to families. Was her cell phone worth the lives of those innocent victims? My God! I never thought such evil exists!
    • HMMM (24/05/2023, 17:49) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
      Some kids are attached to their phone because it’s the biggest distraction from the reality of their lives. They have poor relationships with their family and some don’t have friends. The phone is where they escape into so taking it away is like taking away their mother or father or best friend.

      Pray for these kids. I wonder how this girl is feeling knowing that she caused 19 people to die and they didn’t even do anything to her.
  • resident (25/05/2023, 08:45) Like (2) Dislike (2) Reply
    death penalty for her please
  • Lucifer morningstar (25/05/2023, 08:50) Like (2) Dislike (11) Reply
    Always knew Guyanese females are dumb and idiotic unrealistic fools.
    • .... (25/05/2023, 14:54) Like (3) Dislike (10) Reply
      spewing so much hatred towards a specific group of females tells of your personal issues or two you have encountered with them. Be kind and be the bigger person always ! xoxo
  • Jim Jones (26/05/2023, 12:53) Like (0) Dislike (6) Reply
    Brings back memories of news of the Jones Town Massacre which occurred in Guiana 1978. Google for info.
    Both historical Mass murders initiated by one individual. Wonder how far away the locations are from each other and what connections,if any.
  • Linda (27/05/2023, 10:22) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    She will certainly do life in prison, if not executed which she deserves.


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