Guyana Investigators have determined that the fire in a dormitory in the town of Mahdia, which killed 19 people, was caused by a student whose phone was confiscated and set on fire.
Guyana’s National Security Adviser, Gerald Gouveia, said on May 23 that the suspect who set fire to a dormitory in the town of Mahdia, a student, was among those injured.
The student was scolded by the dorm manager for having an affair with an older man and had his phone confiscated. The student threatened to set the dorm on fire and started the fire in the bathroom area.
The flames then spread throughout the wooden building. The previous manager locked the dormitory door to prevent female students from escaping at night. The incident left 19 dead and more than 20 injured. “This is a very painful situation. Authorities will work with students and families to support everyone,” said Gouveia.
Scene of a dormitory fire in Mahdia, Guyana, on May 22. Photo: AFP
Most of the fire victims were students between the ages of 12 and 18 from remote villages. The dorm manager’s 5-year-old son was also killed.
“The dorm manager was in a panic and couldn’t find the key to open the door, but luckily escaped. She also lost her 5-year-old son in the fire,” said Gouveia.
Mr. Gouveia added that the police intend to charge him with rape against the man who had an affair with the alleged student, because the girl was under 16 years old.
The Guyanese government sent DNA experts to the site to identify the bodies. They also approved the US offer to send experts to help.
The dorm fire is considered the deadliest fire in Guyana recently. In 2016, a Georgetown prison fire killed 17 inmates and seriously injured dozens.
Guyana is a South American country that was once a colony of the Netherlands, bordering Brazil, Venezuela and Suriname, with a population of over 795,000 people.
Ngoc Anh (according to CBS)
