Fire strikes at Children's Drop-in-Centre, displaces 46 children

Fire strikes at Children’s Drop-in-Centre, displaces 46 children

Feb 14, 2010 News

Mere hours after a fire left scores homeless in an Albouystown fire, yesterday, some 46 children were displaced after another fire razed the male dorm of the Children’s Drop-In Centre on Hadfield Street, Wortmanville around 18:00hrs.
The female dorm sustained significant water damage.

Minister Manickchand trying to comfort some of the displaced children last evening shortly before they were relocated

The National AIDS Programme Secretariat building was also scorched as a result of the fire.
The fire is rumoured to have started after an electrical appliance that was plugged into the wrong socket malfunctioned. But Fire Chief, Marlon Gentle, who was on the scene told this newspaper that after initial checks the fire is believed to have been started in the roof of the boys’ dorm.
At that time, he said that they were awaiting electrical inspectors to conduct a more detailed examination to determine whether the fire was electrical in nature.
Rudolph Hinds, a representative of the Drop-in Centre told Kaieteur News that the fire started in the boys’ dormitory.
When it was observed, the children were quickly summoned and all were accounted for unhurt.
The children were rushed across the road to a neighbour’s residence. Kaieteur News managed to speak to the neighbour, Marcia Smith, who said that after she heard someone shouting ‘fire’ and after several calls to the Guyana Fire Service proved futile, she immediately called the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company and the National Communication Network.
The woman said that the fire service took some fifteen minutes to arrive on the scene and quickly controlled the blaze.
Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Priya Manickchand, upon hearing the news, quickly rushed to the scene.
She was shortly after, joined by other Human Services Ministry senior officials as well as Minister within the Ministry of Health, Dr Bheri Ramsaran and Labour Minister Manzoor Nadir.
The children, who were visibly traumatised, were crying and fainting as they watched the place they called home, go up in flames.
Minister Manickchand, caregivers at the centre and other officials were all seen comforting the young children.
Kaieteur News understands that the children were taken to the Sophia Children’s Drop in Centre.
When this newspaper arrived at the scene, several persons were frantically removing items from the building and managed to get a great deal out.
Scores of persons turned up and the law enforcers had their hands full trying to contain them and keeping them out of the way.
Last evening, Minister Manickchand said that she was thankful that none of the children were seriously injured.
She added that her priority would be to ensure their safety and to restore some sense of normalcy to the obviously traumatised children.
She said that if there is need the Ministry will be providing whatever counseling is necessary.
The Minister recalled that as recent as Thursday the members of the Fire Service were present at the Drop-in-Centre to conduct a fire drill.