A fire of unknown origin on Tuesday ripped through the Chase Academy building at Parade Street, Georgetown, destroying the administrative building and adjoining spaces.
Firefighters battling the blaze on Tuesday
Based on information received, flames were seen coming from the ground floor of the three-storey wooden structure after 02:00h in the morning.
This section housed the principal’s office, in which School-Based Assessments were stored for students sitting the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination. These suffered fire and water damages.
A security guard on duty reportedly saw the flames and immediately raised an alarm. William Arthur, who was on the corridor, said he turned off the electrical supply and proceeded to throw water on the flames.
“I was sitting on the corridor and I saw a lot of smoke, thick smoke coming from below. My reaction was I turn off the main switch and came downstairs. When I came downstairs, I see the fire…I started to throw water but the water was inadequate,” the security officer relayed.
By then, a neighbour came out and called the Guyana Fire Service. Tenders arrived on the scene shortly after to put out the blaze.
They managed to save the outer shell of the building from flattening completely. Along with the private academy, a special needs learning centre also operated in the same building. It is unclear how much losses were incurred.
The Fire Service has since launched an investigation to determine the origin of the fire and other surrounding details. (G12)
