Latest update April 28th, 2026 12:30 AM
There are too many fires
The repeated occurrence of fires in Guyana is now worrying. For one, most of the residences are of wood, although a few decades ago people began to use more concrete. Their reason was that wood had become too high priced.
However, despite the concrete constructions, large sections of the interior remain wood paneled and therefore prone to fire should any disaster strike. Over the weekend, there was once such construction that went up in flames. Were one to look at the exterior, one would be left to wonder how it is that the fire could have been so devastating. Four people died.
There was a similar fire in Linden in which a young woman and all her children perished. Their rush to the bathroom where their immediate belief was that the water from the shower would have saved them was a vain hope.
There was also another fire in New Amsterdam that claimed another mother and her children; one in Kitty that claimed the life of Laxhmi Kallicharran, and another in New Amsterdam in which a killer attempted to cover his crime by setting his home alight with a murder victim inside.
In the case of almost all the others, the heavy grille work designed to offer protection was a hindrance. Helpers simply could not access the building, with the result that the occupants perished. It is common knowledge that the Guyana Fire Service would plead with people not to bar every exit, but the fear of bandits has led to people failing to heed the advice.
It is true that people may conclude that the society would wait for a disaster of such a magnitude before they recall all the warnings about grilling homes. None would try to lay blame at the feet of the very people who forced almost everyone in the society to convert their homes to veritable prisons.
It is not that forced entry into homes by unwanted elements is unique to Guyana. Rather, it is the response by the police to such reports that leaves one to wonder about one’s safety.
Indeed, the police should not be blamed; there are only so many, and while the government has been trying its utmost to increase the mobility of the police, its efforts fall far short. Guyana is simply too poor to do what it is supposed to and what it wants to do.
One problem, really, is that Guyanese ignore the building code, simply because there is no monitoring to ensure adherence. Further, when people are installing grille work, the Guyana Fire Service does not inspect the homes. And this is because no one seeks to apply before they install grilles.
And in any case, given the nature of Guyanese these days, should the fire service insist on security specifications, then people are going to be very resentful. They are going to accuse the fire service of preventing them from securing themselves.
But something must be done. There is a requirement that people leave some escape route. There is also a requirement that people ensure that there are no fire starters.
We know that with increasing disposable income, people are going to install more electrical equipment in their homes. We also know that they are going to keep adding extensions to existing electrical points without seeking to make modifications.
The cause of the fire in Charlestown may not be unusual, but it is time we in Guyana begin to install smoke detectors in our homes. And it is surprising that many of us have not yet begun to do so. We seek to emulate the people in the developed world, particularly those in North America, but we only emulate them as far as certain things go.
Three children died in the fire and they are not the only children to perish in conflagrations. There will be more if there are no bold moves to make homes fireproof.
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