Findings of the COI into the Mahdia Fire appear “misleading and inadequate”

Jan 21, 2024 Letters

Dear Editor,

The reported outcome of the Mahdia Fire COI appears to be misleading and inadequate. In the news, it was stated that “Despite identifying inadequacies in the fire prevention measures, Major Singh emphasized that even with a better-equipped facility; the tragic outcome might not have changed given the intentional nature of the fire and its rapid spread”. I would encourage the members of the commission to research the benefits of a sprinkler system and compare the impact it has on a building on fire vs. a building without such a system. According to www.firesprinkler.org:

“Fire sprinklers are widely recognized as the single most effective method for fighting the spread of fires in their early stages – before they can cause severe injury to people and damage to property.”

“Fire sprinklers provide valuable time to escape a fire. The National Fire Academy (NFA), the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and the U.S. Fire Administration (UFSA) all recommend fire sprinkler systems…”

“A single sprinkler controls a home fire 90 percent of the time, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), saving a majority of a home’s possessions. Also, according to the non-profit Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition, the average fire loss in a house with a sprinkler system is $2,166 USD as opposed to $45,019 USD in a home without the protection. Sprinkler systems reduce fire damage by up to 97 percent.”

“Fire sprinklers immediately respond to a fire while it is still small, controlling the spread of deadly heat, flames and toxic smoke – whether or not the occupants have appropriately responded to the signaling smoke alarm. Fire sprinklers make up for human error, and they provide a life-saving cushion for a time-consuming escape.”

The National Fire Protection Association in the USA also states that “If you have a reported fire in your home, the risk of dying decreases by about 80 percent when sprinklers are present”.

CRG encourages the members of the COI to revisit their findings and ensure the scope of the investigation encompasses the use of fire sprinklers and the impact on the outcome of the fire if the facility was equipped with a sprinkler system. In addition, it is inappropriate to place any blame on the parents and victims of the fire due to cultural norms in the area. The use of security guards, security cameras and other security monitoring processes instead of window grills and door grills to ensure compliance with dormitory safety rules would overcome and cultural concerns uncovered by the COI.

The neglect of safety concerns reported by representatives of the government leading up to the fire continues to be an area that the COI should have been able to clarify. We must not turn a blind eye to negligence. Hopefully, the full report of the COI will shed some light on this issue and provide the necessary recommendations for the correction and effective prevention of such neglect reoccurring in the future.

With concern,

Mr. Jamil Changlee

Chairman

The Cooperative Republicans of Guyana

Chairman, inadequate, Mahdia Fire COI, Mr. Jamil Changlee, The Cooperative Republicans of Guyana

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