One year since deadly inferno at Camp Street Prison

Mar 04, 2017 News

The blockades and memories are all that remain after the deadly fire claimed the lives of 17 inmates of the Capital ‘A’ Block, Camp Street Jailhouse in Georgetown one year ago.
On March 3, 2016, nearby residents awoke to cries and sirens and their dwelling places engulfed in smoke. Inmates were seen bashing security grills and calling out to residents for help as their family members stood on the sideline and shared a last word with their loved ones beyond the police barricades.
The walls surrounding the prison are so high that family members of inmates stood atop fences just to get a glimpse of their loved ones to confirm their safety.
Pandemonium was the word of the day as the streets of Georgetown flooded with spectators. The incident went down in history books as one that stemmed from the worst prison riot in memory.
Confirmed dead were Jermaine Otto, Rayon Paddy, Sherwin Trotman, Anthony Primo, Shaka Mckenzie, Kirk Clarke, Latchman Partap, Chaitram Dharamdat, Aaron Eastman, Andrew Philander, Randolph Marks, Rohan Teekaran, Hilary Amos, Ashraf Ali, Delroy Williams, Clifton Joseph and Richard Hubbard.

Scenes from the deadly fire last year that claimed the lives of 17 inmates.

Sixteen of the dead were piled onto a truck and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation’s mortuary in the afternoon, while Jermaine Otto’s body arrived several hours earlier, with the injured.
Those injured were Oswald Yaw, Randolph Marks, Collis Collison, Samuel Beaton, Ignatius France, Andel Forde and Marcellus Verbeke.
Forde and France were admitted to the Burns Care Unit, while Verbeke was admitted to the Male Surgical Unit. Other inmates were reportedly treated for minor injuries and discharged. Most of those killed were on remand for high-profile killings.
The fire is believed to have been started by prisoners who were venting their frustration at what they felt was the inordinate length of time they were on remand while awaiting trial.
A Commission of Inquiry (CoI) was held into the incident. Many of those who testified were prison officials and inmates and their recollection of what transpired was published and aired on national television.
Recommendations were also made to address overcrowding and other issues.
From all indications, the Government is working to implement these proposals.

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