Another section of Critchlow Labour College destroyed by fire, second time in four months

Aug 02, 2025 News

Fire fighters battle fire early Friday morning at the Critchlow Labour College.

Kaieteur News – Fire of unknown origin destroyed another section of the Critchlow Labour College, Woolford Avenue, Georgetown during the wee hours of Friday, the second time in four months.

At around 00:53 hrs, the entire structure located behind the rubble of the first building that fire destroyed on March 22.

Firefighters were on the ground battling trying to contain the fire. They arrived about 45 minutes before the media and recalled that when they arrived the building was already engulfed.

On March 23, Kaieteur News reported that over 200 persons, mainly students were affected after a fire destroyed the institution’s main buildings.

President Irfaan Ali had promised to assist with the rebuilding of the buildings. No works have started but most of the rubble was cleared out.

The Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) in a statement labeled the fires as suspicious.

“Another suspicious fire has struck once again, this time erasing the entire physical infrastructure of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) and its education arm, Critchlow Labour College (CLC),” the GTUC stated while adding that it is still awaiting a report on the first fire.

The GTUC said that the fire might be a blatant attack on the independent labour movement of Guyana.

“The unleashing of fire against the GTUC and its education arm will not silence or stop the work of the independent trade union movement, and its educational arms,” the GTUC stated before adding that, “It will not stop the will of the people and will only commit the movement to be more resolute in fighting against all forces formed against them”.

The GTUC also reminded President Ali of his promise to help rebuild and called on the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) to release the report on the first fire that occurred in March.