Over the holiday weekend, Guyana witnessed a series of tragic incidents that resulted in multiple fatalities. These incidents, spanning various regions, have left several families mourning the loss of their loved ones. 
The first incident occurred on Christmas Morning at around 02:00h, when a devastating fire in Central Amelia’s Ward, Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) claimed the lives of 30-year-old Zella Lawrence and her relatives, 16-year-old Angelique Lawrence and eight-year-old Ronika Lawrence.
Quick response from the Guyana Fire Service contained the blaze to the bottom flat of the building, but the cause of this fire remains unknown, prompting an investigation by Fire Service officials in collaboration with the Police.
Monday morning brought yet another unfortunate incident, this time on the East Bank Essequibo at Le Destin, Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara). An accident there has left Lechan Mangal and Stephon Anthony Basdeo dead.
Reports are that motorcar PXX 872 was being driven by Mangal, a 25-year-old resident of Lot 5 De Kinderen Old Road, West Coast Demerara; with Basdeo, a 26-year-old of Lot 1 De Kinderen Old Road, and Aubrey Hardy, a 27-year-old of De Kinderen, being the occupants. Investigations so far indicate that PXX 872 was proceeding east along the northern side of the road at a fast rate when the driver lost control of the vehicle and it collided with a container on the parapet.
Mangal and Basdeo were seriously injured in that accident, and they were both rushed in an unconscious state to the Leonora Cottage Hospital, where they were pronounced dead on arrival.
Their bodies are at the Ezekiel Funeral Home awaiting PMEs.
On that same day, 60-year-old pedestrian Shazad Mohamed died in an accident that occurred at about 17:25h on Temple Street at Windsor Forest, West Coast Demerara.
Police have said that accident involved the pedestrian and motor lorry GAF 4320, being driven by a 21-year-old resident of Temple Street, Windsor Forest.
It has been revealed that the lorry was reversing when it collided with the pedestrian, who was walking and pushing his pedal cycle behind the lorry. As a result of that collision, the pedestrian fell on the road surface and was crushed by the left-side front wheel of the lorry.
The pedestrian was picked up in an unconscious state and taken to the Leonora Cottage Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Meanwhile, on Boxing Day, a fatal collision between two motorcycles on Maria’s Pleasure Public Road on Wakenaam Island claimed the life of 29-year-old Rickey Boodram.
Boodram and 57-year-old Martin Adams have sustained critical injuries from this accident, and despite efforts to save their lives, Boodram was pronounced dead on arrival at the Wakenaam Cottage Hospital, while Adams is recovering from a fractured left foot and head injuries at the West Demerara Regional Hospital. (G9)
