By Bert Wilkinson - The Associated Press
A fire consumed the dormitory of a boarding school in Guyana early Monday, killing at least 19 students and injuring several others at the facility, which serves remote, mostly indigenous villages, authorities said.
"This is a horrific incident. It's tragic, it's painful," President Irfaan Ali said, adding that his government was mobilizing resources to help children.
[The Popocatepetl volcano emits ash and forces the cancellation of flights. But "there is no catastrophic activity at the moment."]
The fire broke out shortly before midnight in the residential building of a high school in the town of Madhia, a gold and diamond mining community located about 322 kilometers (200 miles) south of Georgetown, Guyana's capital, the government said in a statement.
Authorities initially said 20 students had died, but later updated the figure to 19, with several injured. National Security Adviser Gerald Gouveia said the figure was revised after doctors revived a patient who was in such a serious condition that "everyone thought he was dead."
The burned part of the school in Mahdia, Guyana, on May 22, 2023. Photo provided by Guyana's Department of Public Information. Guyana Department of Public Information via AP
"When firefighters arrived at the scene, the building was already completely engulfed in flames," the Guyana Fire Service said in a statement. "Our deepest condolences to the families and friends of those young souls."
"A disaster of great magnitude"
The fire department said 14 students died at the scene and five others at a local hospital. Authorities said two children remain in critical condition and four are seriously injured. Six students were flown to Georgetown for treatment and five others remain in a hospital in Mahdia, while 10 others are under observation.
"Firefighters managed to rescue about 20 students by making holes in the northeast wall of the building," according to the fire department. "Our team is still investigating at the scene in order to clarify how the fire broke out and other necessary information."
The school mainly instructs indigenous children between the ages of 12 and 18, Gouveia said. It was too early to speculate on the cause of the crash, he said, adding that storms in the area prevented airlifting.
Children injured in the school fire arrive at the airport in Georgetown, Guyana, Monday, May 22, 2023.Royston Drake via AP
"It was a battle for us," he said. "The pilots were very brave, they were very determined."
He said the government and rescue workers "made a gigantic effort" to save as many people as possible.
Ali said authorities are contacting parents and mobilizing psychologists to help those affected. "I can't imagine the pain the parents are going through now," she said. "This is a disaster of great magnitude."
Local newspaper Stabroek News reported that the fire had started in a girls' dormitory.
Opposition lawmaker Natasha Singh-Lewis demanded a thorough investigation. "We need to understand how this horrific and deadly incident happened and take all necessary measures to prevent such a tragedy from happening again," he said.