Residents of Block 5, Great Diamond, East Bank Demerara, were reportedly left to battle a fire themselves for hours after the Guyana Fire Service failed to respond to repeated calls for assistance, with the explanation that only one fire truck was operational.
The alarming situation was brought to public attention on Saturday, November 7, by A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament Nima Flue-Best, who questioned the Fire Service’s ability to respond to emergencies when communities need it most.
According to Flue-Best, residents began calling for help at approximately 2:00 p.m., but assistance had still not arrived by the time she posted about the incident on social media.
She said residents were reportedly told that one fire tender was out of service and the only operational truck had to attend to two other reported fires before it could proceed to Great Diamond.
In her post, Flue-Best wrote:
“Imagine the residents of Block 5 Great Diamond have been calling for help from the Guyana Fire service Since 2pm. Up to this hour no help came. This is how the residents have to be fighting fires since they were told, ‘its only one truck working, the other one break down. And they have to attend to 2 other reported fires before they can head to block 5 Great Diamond.’”
The account raises troubling questions about the readiness of the Guyana Fire Service, particularly its ability to manage simultaneous emergencies when critical equipment is unavailable.
Great Diamond is part of the expanding residential corridor along the East Bank Demerara, where growing communities require dependable emergency services. A fire left unattended can quickly spread, placing lives, homes and property at risk.
The reported failure of a fire tender and the apparent absence of adequate backup capacity also raise questions about equipment maintenance, resource allocation and the Government’s preparedness to protect communities.
Residents should not be left improvising firefighting efforts while waiting hours for assistance. The availability of functioning fire tenders and timely emergency response are basic public safety responsibilities.
Flue-Best’s post did not establish the cause of the fire, the extent of any damage or whether firefighters eventually reached the community. The Guyana Fire Service’s response to the claims was not included in her statement.
The incident nevertheless puts an urgent question before the authorities: How can residents trust the emergency response system when a community in distress is reportedly told that only one fire truck is working?
