The report of the Commission of Inquiry (COI) launched into the deadly fire at Mahdia Secondary School dorm early last year, which killed 19 girls and the young son of the housemother, has cited Chief Fire Officer of the Guyana Fire Service, Gregory Wickham’s dereliction of duty.
The report which was recently handed over to President Dr Mohamed Ifraan Ali, said Wickham failed to give priority to a report about poor fire safety at the Mahdia Secondary School’s dormitory, which he received from the Sub-Officer in Charge of the Mahdia Fire Station, Ryan Scott, less than three months before the inferno.
According to the report of the COI into the dorm fire, Scott had inspected the dormitory on February 7, 2023, compiled and dispatched a report to Wickham in which he identified several fire safety weaknesses at that state-owned facility, including a complete absence of any fire prevention systems such as – fire detection and alarm systems, exit signs and smoke detectors.
The report also noted that there were only three fire extinguishers provided in the buildings and grills were seen on all the windows.
Regarding the response of the region’s fire department on the night of the fire, the COI reported that the guard on duty did not know Sub-Officer’s Scott’s number and so could not call him; and Sub-Officer Scott told the inquiry that members of the town had to reach him through his personal mobile phone.
Scott told the COI that following his assumption of duty at the Mahdia Fire Station in July 2022, he dispatched an email to Chief Fire Officer Wickham on August 4, 2022 asking that “urgent attention” be paid to the poor condition of the fire tender there and another on August 9, 2022 list of items that were “urgently needed” at the Mahdia Fire Station “to safely, effectively and efficiently carry out the function of the Guyana Fire Service”.
On the recommended list of 12 actions to be taken to make the Mahdia Secondary School safe were the prominent display on all walls instructions on actions to be taken in the event of a fire, construction of suitable storage facilities such as racks, shelves, cupboards, for all items, no fuel must be stored on the premises without permission from the fire department, removal of grills from all windows and the installation of hydrants near the school.
The report said that Scott testified that he never received a response to the email, and the fire station there was not equipped with many of the items which he requested, adding that they had a light pump, and a power saw.
“It is expected that the head of the fire service of any country, being in possession of reports such as these, would go beyond the bounds of duty and service to ensure compliance therewith. This we feel, in all circumstances, was lacking from the Chief Fire Officer,” the COI stated.
The COI report, while praising Scott and recommending him for promotion and a national award, accused Wickham of giving “scant regard” to the report of Sub-Officer Scott, that contained critical information in the interest of life and fire safety.
It stated that Wickham admitted that of the 12 recommendations, his action was only taken in relation to that concerning fire hydrants, in that he informed Guyana Water Incorporated of the requirement to have water mains upgraded and nothing else.
“This we consider to be bare minimum action and certainly not a fulfilment of the duties bestowed on the most senior fire officer of this country,” the report stated, stopping short of recommending disciplinary action on Wickham.
The COI also frowned on the Chief Fire Officer’s explanation that the standard operating procedure only required him to ensure the Regional Education Officer (REdO) was furnished with the report.
This they regarded as the fire chief essentially passing off onto the REdO, the responsibility of ensuring that the emergency recommendations in the report were brought to life.
The Commissioners said they also found it regrettable that in all circumstances and even with all his experience as the most senior fire officer in Guyana, the Chief Fire Officer did not see the need, nor did he take the initiative, to communicate to the Permanent Secretary of his Ministry, the emergency recommendations.
The COI, which was headed by Retired Major General Joseph Singh concluded that the fire was intentionally set, and in the hours before, a female student had threatened to set the dorm on fire if she her mobile phone, which was seized because use of phones is prohibited from 9pm, is not returned to her.
“She say, I would just bun down this dorm; if I didn’t get to do it tonight, I will do it tomorrow,” a student testified. (Loop News)
