By Leroy Smith
Two children at the ‘Drop-in Center for children’ at Hadfield Street, Georgetown perished just after midnight when the shelter burst into flames.
The fire which started in the upper flat of the two-storeyed building claimed the life of a 6-year-old child and his 2-year-old brother.
News Room was told that after the fire started, the house-mother gathered the children and was heading out of the building to take them to safety when the two-year-old ran back into the burning building.
The house-mother was heading out of the building with a baby in her hands and the two-year-old was clinging to her skirt, assuming that all of the children were taken to safety, however, the 2-year-old child became aware that his brother was not among the children and turn back to get his brother who was trapped in one of the rooms and both of them eventually perished.
The Guyana Fire Service was summoned to the scene and responded promptly which brought the fire under control. An investigation has since been launched.
speaking with media operatives, Divisional Fire Officer Campton Sparman explained that they received the call about the fire just after midnight and immediately dispatched four tenders to the location considering that the building is used to house children.
He further explained that when they arrived they managed to save a child from the lower flat of the building but was unable to get to the to other two children as the smoke was too much and prevented the firefighters from venturing into the upper flat of the building.
He confirmed to reporters that the eldest child who perished was asleep at the time of the fire while his two year old brother perished after he was trapped by one of the doors in the building as he attempted to head back inside to be with his older brother.
