Dorm was flagged for fire vulnerabilities; officials did nothing

Jan 22, 2024 News

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Mahdia COI report reveals…

Kaieteur News – Three months before the Mahdia Secondary School female dormitory fire in May last year, which claimed the lives of 20 children, Sub-Officer in Charge of the Mahdia Fire Station, Mr. Ryan Scott did an inspection of the facility and flagged it for its fire vulnerabilities. This was revealed in the Commission of Inquiry (COI) report which was made public on Saturday.

The Commissioners, Major General (Ret’d) Joe Singh, Attorney-at-Law Joycelin Kim Kyte-Thomas, and Chairman of the National Toshaos Council (NTC), Derrick John, concluded that the cause of the May 21, 2023 fire was arson.

While it was stated that even a better equipped facility would not have provided a different outcome, the commissioners also highlighted other issues that were uncovered during the inquiry into the deadly fire.

The Commissioners said that the country’s Chief Fire Officer (CFO), Gregory Wickham and former Regional Education Officer (REDO) Region Eight, Annesta Douglas neglected their responsibilities when they failed to act on Scott’s report which cited that the dormitory facility was a fire hazard.

Dormitory inspection

The Commission heard that on February 7, 2023, an inspection was carried out at the Mahdia Dormitory facility by Sub-Officer Scott.

Following this inspection, Scott prepared a report which he addressed to the CFO and copied to the REDO. Sub-Officer Scott report highlighted a list of deficiencies associated with the Mahdia dormitories. It cited that for the dormitory buildings, there was a complete absence of any fire prevention system.

He said there were no fire alarm system, no fire detection system, no exit signs and no smoke detection system. The report also highlighted that there were only three fire extinguishers provided in the buildings and grills were seen on all the windows.

Scott’s report provided a list of 12 requirements/recommendations to address fire prevention at the facility. These included: –

1. A suitable fire alarm system which can give sufficient audible warning throughout the premises must be provided.
2. All final exits (doors) must be constructed to open outwards along the line of exit travel.
3. Suitable exit signs red in colour on white background not less than 100mm in height, must be conspicuously displayed over all final exits.
4. Precise instructions with actions to be taken in the event of a fire must be prominently displayed on the walls throughout the building.
5. Suitable storage facilities (racks, shelves, cupboards, etc.) must be provided for all items.

They must be constructed or situated in such a way that allows free and adequate passageway to be maintained.

6. All items stored in the building must be neatly arranged leaving a minimum clearance of at least 30cm from ceiling level and 15cm in any other direction.
7. No fuel must be stored on the premises without permission from this department.
8. A high standard of housekeeping must be maintained throughout the building at all times.
9. Grills must be removed from all windows immediately.
10. Six (6) fire extinguishers along with six (6) smoke detectors must be provided and all Fire Extinguishers must be hung on brackets with their handles 1.4m from floor level to facilitate handling by persons of any height.
11. Efforts must be made for all staff to be trained in the use and operation of firefighting equipment (fire extinguishers) and evacuation procedures.
12. Hydrants must be installed. Note: the water main leading to the dorms is 2” in diameter.

The female dormitory housed 59 girls as well as the House Supervisor Carleta Williams, and her 5-year-old son, who also perished in the fire. The female dorm had six bedrooms for the girls, each room had windows, about 4 in number, which were all grilled from the inside of each room.

Sub-Officer Scott reported that the situation of the dorm facility was considered as high risk due to it being occupied by a large number of children, there were no water hydrants installed at or in close proximity to the facility.

From the evidence, the Commissioners concluded that the female dormitory was not in a state of readiness in the eventuality of a fire.

Dereliction of Duty – CFO

The Commissioners found it unfortunate that out of the 12 recommendations provided in Scott’s report, the CFO only action was taken in relation to the fire hydrants.

“This we consider to be bare minimum action and certainly not a fulfillment of the duties bestowed on the most senior fire officer of this country,” the Commissioners said.

The Commissioners also found it regrettable that in all circumstances and even with all his experience as the most senior fire officer in Guyana, the CFO did not see the need, nor did he take the initiative, to communicate to the Permanent Secretary of his Ministry, the said emergency recommendations.

“It is expected that the head of the fire service of any country, being in possession of reports such as these, would go beyond the bounds of duty and service to ensure compliance therewith. This we feel, in all circumstances, was lacking from the Chief Fire Officer,” the Commissioners said.

REDO dereliction of duty and neglect

“The conduct of the REDO was not far from that of the CFO,” the Commissioners said.

The REDO’s timeline of the dates she received the report and her unconfirmed information about her reassignment, was rejected by the Commissioners.

The COI report said that nothing prevented the REDO from acting on the recommendations Scott made or bringing it to the attention of other authority.

“We rejected the excuses proffered by Ms. Douglas to justify her inaction and found them to be spurious and vexatious. She gave no attention and showed complete disregard for the report,” the Commissioners said.

In all the circumstances, the Commissioners consider the actions and inactions of the REDO to be careless, negligent, a complete dereliction of duties and falling far below the standard of officers serving the Education system of this country.

 

 

 

 

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• aftermath, CFO, COI, Mahdia fire, REDO

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