Mahdia Dorm Fire Commission of Inquiry completes final report

The Presidential Commission of Inquiry (CoI), which was tasked with investigating the circumstances surrounding the Mahdia School Dorm Fire that claimed the lives of 20 children, has completed its final report. The fire took place back in May.

The Secretary to the Commission, Javed Shadick, confirmed that the report has been completed and will be handed over soon to President Irfaan Ali.

When the Commission wrapped up public hearings into the matter last month, its Counsel, Keoma Griffith, laid blame at the feet of the Chief Fire Officer (ag), Gregory Wickham, and the former Regional Education Officer (ReDO) for Region Eight, Annesta Douglas over the tragedy.

He explained that three months before the deadly blaze, the Officer-in-Charge of the Mahdia Fire Station had submitted an inspection report on the dorms to both officials, but nothing was done to equip the building with basic fire prevention equipment.

In that report, Scott highlighted that the dorms had no fire alarm systems or smoke detectors, no exit signs and insufficient fire extinguishers.

Additionally, it was observed that the buildings were heavily grilled.

It was on those grounds, that the inspection report made a total of 12 recommendations, including the need for the installation of fire alarms and smoker detectors, extinguishers and fire hydrants, in addition to the need for clearly outlined exit signs and evacuation procedures.

Griffith said at the time of the fire little was done by the Chief Fire Officer, and absolutely nothing, in the case of Douglas although they were told of the importance and urgency of the report.

Griffith also indicated that the evidence before the Commission suggests that the fire was maliciously set.

Together with investigators from the Guyana Fire Service, the Police concluded that the fire was an act of arson, resulting in a 15-year girl being charged with 20 counts of murder in the course of an arson.

But ahead of the commencement of the hearing, the attorney for the accused, Dexter Todd, asked the Director of Public Prosecutions, Shalimar Ali-Hack to withdraw the 20 charges due to the lack of evidence.

Todd told the DPP in a letter in August that there is no potential evidence to support the charges against the teen, who had also survived the deadly inferno.

His request was denied, and the murder charges remain in place.

Officials from the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health, Guyana Fire Service, Guyana Police Force were among those who testified before the Commission.