CONSTABLE Akeem Holder defied the odds and braved thick smoke and fire, allegedly set deliberately by inmates of the Juvenile Holding Centre, so he could extinguish the blaze in an effort to save youths housed there on Monday night.
For him, it was part of his duties to safeguard the juveniles housed at the Lot 2 Dennis Street, Sophia facility, which he managed to do, single-handedly, even before the fire tenders could arrive on the scene.

Constable Holder also rose to the occasion by getting all the inmates to safety and those affected by the smoke were rushed for medical attention at the earliest.
He told the Guyana Chronicle that at the time he did what he could and thought nothing of it because his aim was to get everyone to safety and to prevent the fire from spreading to other sections of the building.
This alert and unarmed cop was stationed at the Juvenile Holding Centre on Monday night when a fire, believed to be set by a few inmates, quickly ignited in the catwalk area outside the cells which resulted in a plume of smoke.
Constable Holder realised what was happening and he acted very quickly to get the situation under control, averting a major disaster.
The constable said he was sitting when he smelled something burning (like sponge) and got up and turned off the main switch (fuse) at the centre and then threw water on the conflagration.
He explained that about five minutes before, a few inmates had asked him to give them some water and he granted their request and several minutes after, he smelled something burning.
The fire was put out in three minutes and about five minutes after fire tenders arrived at the scene.

Holder said he then alerted officials and his superiors before going to talk to the inmates and he made sure they were not hurt in anyway.
The policeman has been posted at the location for the past two years and he is aware of the behaviour pattern of juveniles housed there.
Holder explained that ranks stationed there operate on a shift system and provide security for inmates.
On the very night of the incident, his efforts were recognised by one Martin Gaul who complimented him in a Facebook post. Following the post, dozens of others joined, congratulating him for his bravery and suggest that he be promoted.
An investigation has since been launched into the circumstances which led to a fire at the centre on Monday night, about 18:00hrs.
It was alleged that two juveniles lit a mattress in the catwalk area on the lower flat of the facility resulting in three males being rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital to receive treatment for smoke inhalation. The three were treated and sent away.
Police said alert ranks on duty, responding to the smell of smoke emanating from the catwalk area, quickly extinguished the blaze. No major damage was done to the facility.
Housed in the compound of the Sophia Training School, the Juvenile Holding Centre was commissioned in 2011 at a cost of $37.6M to provide for the detention of juveniles who are held pending charge, or are on remand.