Mae’s school fire caused by electrical fault - Fire Chief

Mae’s school fire caused by electrical fault – Fire Chief

Mar 22, 2025 News

Kaieteur News- Two weeks after a devastating fire destroyed Mae’s School in Subryanville, Georgetown, Fire Chief, Gregory Wickham confirmed that the cause of the blaze was electrical in origin.

Mae’s school fire caused by electrical fault - Fire Chief

Mae’s School on fire

Wickham told Kaieteur News on Friday, “We have completed our investigations and the cause of the fire that we came up with was electrical in nature.”

However, when asked about the specific location where the fire started, Wickham refrained from disclosing the information.

The fire occurred on March 5, 2025 at around 07:45hrs, gutting the building that previously housed the play school, as well as primary and secondary classrooms.

The Guyana Fire Service (GFS) received the distress call at 08:04hrs and responded swiftly. A total of 28 firefighters were immediately deployed, and were supported by eight water tenders and two Bronto skylift platforms. Despite their efforts, the blaze spread rapidly, destroying the three-storey wooden and concrete structure. Fortunately, all individuals within the school were evacuated safely.

Tragically, during the firefighting operation, four firefighters were injured. One of them, fireman Voshaun Manbodh from Melanie Damishana, East Coast Demerara, succumbed to his injuries. While battling the blaze, a portion of the building collapsed on him, causing severe neck injuries. He was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), where he died three days later.

Meanwhile, the school’s administration is in the process of finding alternative accommodation for the students. They had indicated initially that the students would be housed in the old Georgetown International Academy (GIA- American School) building. However, that is yet to materialize.

An artist’s impression of what the pre-fabricated building will look like when installed.

Tents have since been set up at the school’s Jubilee Park ground, located opposite the burnt-out location. Parents were informed on Friday that efforts are being made to have pre-fabricated buildings that will serve as classrooms.

“We want to assure you that the current setup on the field is only a temporary arrangement as we work towards a more stable solution. We have purchased prefabricated buildings already to serve as classrooms and facilities, which are currently being imported. These units are expected to arrive and be fully assembled within the next three weeks. Once in place, they will provide a safe, structured, and comfortable learning environment for our children while we rebuild our school,” the school’s administration told parents.

The note continued: “We sincerely thank you for your continued support, cooperation, and understanding during this transition period. Your resilience and commitment to your children’s education mean the world to us, and we remain dedicated to ensuring their learning continues without disruption.”

The school’s administration also provided an artist’s impression of what the pre-fabricated building will look like.

(Mae’s school fire caused by electrical fault – Fire Chief)

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