US agency conducts evaluation of deadly Mahdia fire

A team from the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive Unit (ATF) is currently conducting an evaluation of the deadly fire that ripped through the female dormitory of the Mahdia Secondary School on May 21.
The team is led by Certified Fire Investigator Derick Hill and comprises several fire officers from Guyana including Deputy Fire Officer. During the visit, samples will be collected and assessed after which a report will be furnished to the Home Affairs Ministry.
Using specialised techniques, the team meticulously sifted through the debris at and around the suspected origin of the fire. They reconstructed the scene to gain a comprehensive understanding of the incident.
In addition, the Home Affairs Ministry said advanced computer fire modelling technology will be employed to conduct simulation analyses, providing insights into the fire’s growth and behaviour. This cutting-edge approach will assist investigators in determining the factors that contributed to the fire’s intensity and spread.
Once the evaluation and analysis are complete, a comprehensive report will be compiled and submitted to the Government for a thorough review. The findings will be crucial in understanding the circumstances surrounding the Mahdia dormitory fire and informing future fire safety measures.
The inferno killed 19 female students between the ages of 12 to 17 and a five-year-old boy. Several others were injured.
Days following the horrific incident, the Guyana Police Force disclosed that the fire was allegedly started by a 15-year-old female student after her cellular phone was allegedly taken away. The fire was allegedly set in the bathroom area of the dormitory. According to the surviving female students, they were asleep and were awakened by screams.
Upon checking, they saw fire/smoke in the bathroom area, which quickly spread in the building, causing several students to receive burns to their bodies and smoke inhalation, whilst several managed to escape.
The teenager underwent psychological supervision. She was later slapped with 19 murder charges and was remanded to the juvenile centre. She is expected to be charged with the recent death.
During her court hearing, she was not required to plead to the indictment which stated that she murdered Nicholeen Robinson, Martha D’Andrade, Shorline Bellarmine, Eulanda Carter, Adonijah Jerome, Subrina John, Cleoma Simon, Tracil Thomas, Andrea Roberts, Lisa Roberts, Rita Jeffery, Loreen Evans, Delicia Edwards, Belnisa Evans, Lorita Williams, Mary D’Andrade, Omefa Evans, Sherena Daniels, Natalie Bellarmine, and Arianna Edwards on May 21.