Fire service says Christ Church School fire was maliciously set  

Days after the Christ Church Secondary School was destroyed by a fire, the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) on Monday determined that the fire was maliciously set by a person or persons unknown.

In a release, the GFS said it has been working assiduously to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the major fire. This was the second fire at the school within the course of a week.

“The GFS has taken into consideration the time of day that both fires occurred (16:29 hrs and 17:22 hrs) coupled with the fact that the second fire had several points of origin (seats), it is the determination of the GFS that the fire was maliciously set by person or persons unknown,” the GFS stated in the release.

Last Thursday the GFS received a call at 17:22 hrs and was alerted to a fire at the school, located at RR8R+74J, Camp & Middle Streets, Georgetown. Water tenders from the Central, Alberttown, West Ruimveldt, and Campbellville fire stations were immediately dispatched to the location.

Upon arrival, smokes were emanating from the two-storey wooden and concrete structure. As the firefighters went into action, the building quickly became engulfed in flames. More than eighty percent of the building and its contents were destroyed, with the remainder suffering severe damage.

Additionally, three buildings in close proximity to the school were affected by the inferno and suffered damage to several AC units, PVC guttering, ceilings, windows, and curtains. Four vehicles also suffered damage to their tail lights, bumpers, and number plates.

This was all due to the radiated heat from the building of origin. The fire was eventually contained, and firefighters were able to stop it from spreading to the Office of the Prime Minister and other nearby buildings.

Eight jets were employed onto the flames, working from, a fire hydrant, open water source and original tank supply and was able to extinguish the blaze.

Immediately after the fire, the Fire Prevention Department began its investigation.

A fire started at the school one week prior was ruled as the result of a chemical reaction combustion. All chemicals were removed from the building. As such, there were no chemicals in the building at the time of the second fire, which rules out the possibility that it was another chemical reaction, the GFS stated.

Furthermore, the day after the first fire at the school, Christ Church Secondary was inspected and certified by the Government Electrical Inspectorate, which rules out the possibility of the second fire being electrical in origin, the GFS said.

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