GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC- The report of the Fee of Inquiry launched into the lethal hearth at Mahdia Secondary College early final 12 months, which killed 19 women and the younger son of the housemother, has cited the Chief Hearth Officer of the Guyana Hearth Service, Gregory Wickham dereliction of obligation.
The report, which was just lately handed over to President Dr. Ifraan Ali, mentioned Wickham failed to provide precedence to a report about poor hearth security on the Mahdia Secondary College’s dormitory, which he obtained from the Sub-Officer in Cost of the Mahdia Hearth Station, Ryan Scott, lower than three months earlier than the inferno.
In keeping with the Fee of Inquiry report into the dorm hearth, Scott had inspected and compiled the dormitory on February 7, 2023. He dispatched a report back to Wickham by which he recognized a number of hearth security weaknesses at that State-owned facility, together with a whole absence of fireplace prevention methods equivalent to – hearth detection and alarm methods, exit indicators, and smoke detectors.
The report additionally famous that solely three hearth extinguishers have been offered within the buildings, and grills have been seen on all of the home windows.
Relating to the response of the area’s hearth division on the evening of the fireplace, the COI reported that the guard on obligation didn’t know Sub-Officer Scott’s quantity and so couldn’t name him; sub-officer Scott instructed the Inquiry that members of the city needed to attain him via his cell phone.
Scott instructed the COI that following his assumption of obligation on the Mahdia Hearth Station in July 2022, he dispatched an electronic mail to Chief Hearth Officer Wickham on August 4, 2022, asking that “pressing consideration” be paid to the poor situation of the fireplace tender there and one other on August 9, 2022 record of things that have been “urgently wanted” on the Mahdia Hearth Station “to securely, successfully and effectively perform the perform of the Guyana Hearth Service.”
On the really helpful record of twelve (12) actions to be taken to make the Mahdia Secondary College secure have been the distinguished show on all partitions directions on actions to be taken within the occasion of a hearth, building of appropriate storage services equivalent to racks, cabinets, cabinets, for all objects, no gasoline should be saved on the premises with out permission from the fireplace division, removing of grills from all home windows and the set up of hydrants close to the college.
The report mentioned that Scott testified that he had but to obtain a response to the e-mail and that the fireplace station there was not outfitted with lots of the objects he requested, including that that they had a lightweight pump and an influence noticed.
“It’s anticipated that the pinnacle of the fireplace service of any nation, having studies equivalent to these, would transcend the bounds of obligation and repair to make sure compliance. In all circumstances, this we really feel was missing from the Chief Hearth Officer,” the COI acknowledged.
Whereas praising Scott and recommending him for promotion and a nationwide award, the COI report accused Wickham of giving “scant regard” to the report of Sub-Officer Scott, which contained crucial data within the curiosity of life and hearth security.
It acknowledged that Wickham admitted that of the 12 suggestions, his motion was solely taken regarding hearth hydrants, in that he knowledgeable Guyana Water Integrated of the requirement to have water mains upgraded and nothing else.
“This we take into account to be naked minimal motion and positively not a achievement of the duties bestowed on probably the most senior hearth officer of this nation,” the report acknowledged, stopping wanting recommending disciplinary motion on Wickham.
The COI additionally frowned on the Chief Hearth Officer’s clarification that the usual working process solely required him to make sure the Regional Schooling Officer (REdO) was furnished with the report.
They regarded this as the fireplace chief basically passing off onto the REdO, liable for making certain that the report’s emergency suggestions have been dropped at life.
The Commissioners mentioned in addition they discovered it regrettable that in all circumstances and even with all his expertise as probably the most senior hearth officer in Guyana, the Chief Hearth Officer didn’t see the necessity, nor did he take the initiative, to speak to the Everlasting Secretary of his Ministry, the emergency suggestions.
The COI, which Retired Main Common Joseph Singh headed, concluded that the fireplace was deliberately set. Within the hours earlier than, a feminine scholar had threatened to set the dorm on hearth if her cell phone, which was seized as a result of using telephones is prohibited from 9 PM, was not returned to her.
“She says I’d simply bun down this dorm; if I didn’t get to do it tonight, I’d do it tomorrow,” a scholar testified.
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