A fire tore through the Children and Family Home at Plum Park, Sophia, Greater Georgetown, on Monday night, September 28, destroying the facility and sending nine minors to the Georgetown Public Hospital after they suffered smoke inhalation.
The Guyana Fire Service (GFS) said it received a report of the blaze earlier that night and dispatched crews from its Headquarters, Campbellville and Eccles fire stations to the scene.
Water Tenders #130 and #131 and Water Carriers #20 and #26 were deployed as firefighters worked to contain the fire.
According to the GFS, firefighters arriving at the scene observed flames on the top floor of the female dormitory.
Firefighters quickly mounted a coordinated response and brought the blaze under control, preventing it from spreading further through the facility.
The fire was subsequently extinguished, after which crews carried out mopping-up operations to locate and eliminate any hidden pockets of fire and reduce the risk of reignition.
The extent of structural and property damage was not immediately disclosed.
All residents of the facility were accounted for following the fire.
However, nine minors suffered smoke inhalation during the incident. Emergency medical technicians treated the affected children at the scene before transporting them to the Georgetown Public Hospital for further medical attention.
There were no reports of fatalities.
The incident has again highlighted the particular risks posed by fires at residential facilities housing children, where rapid evacuation, functioning fire protection systems and emergency preparedness can be critical to preventing loss of life.
The Guyana Fire Service has launched an investigation to determine the proximate cause of the fire.
Authorities have not indicated whether the blaze was accidental or deliberate, and no cause has been established publicly as yet.
Investigators are expected to examine the point of origin, the condition of electrical and other systems, and circumstances surrounding the outbreak before determining what triggered the fire.
The Children and Family Home provides residential care for children and families, making the safety of the facility and the circumstances surrounding Monday night’s fire matters of particular public concern.
The GFS has urged residents and facility operators to remain vigilant about fire safety, particularly in buildings accommodating multiple occupants and vulnerable persons.
