A generator aback the Woodlands Hospital on Carmichael Street in the city caught afire on Wednesday morning following a power outage but the hospital has since denied the occurrence, referring to the incident as a fire drill “after a long time.”This publication responded to the blaring sirens of several fire trucks and a call was placed to the Guyana Fire Service around 11:15 am. It was reported that the firemen were responding to reports of a fire at the private medical institution.

Mr Compton Sparman, the officer in charge of operations at the Guyana Fire Service, confirmed that the fire service responded to the hospital’s call of fire, saying that the “generator was overheating.”
Roger Astwood , the hospital’s safety officer told reporters an hour later :“You are witnesses of our first after a long time fire drill, we thank you for your time. Thank you”.
Staff members of the hospital reside in several buildings in a yard adjoining the medical institution.
A resident of Carmichael Street, whose home is also in the adjoining yard, told this publication that around 11:00 h , soon after a power outage , she observed thick smoke emanating from one of two generators which the hospital operates at two points within the compound. She said that several moments later, she saw hospital staff running through the alleyway with fire extinguishers.
According to the woman, the men were successful in extinguishing the fire while firemen arrived on the scene soon after. “After the blackout the current went on and off and it (the generator) started catching afire but they extinguish it fast,” she said. “No, no, no they didn’t had no drill… the thing catch afire,” she added.
A porter attached to the hospital told this publication that he had just finished attending to his duties when he heard reports of a fire. He said the hospital staff then sprang into action. “We had blackout and like the generator start smoke,” he said. A doctor who resides in the yard adjoining the hospital told this publication that she was unaware of a fire drill and according to her , staff were surprised to see fire trucks at the scene.
When this publication arrived at the scene, three fire trucks were parked in front of the hospital’s entrance as staff and customers stared around the compound while trying to find out what was happening. Police officers cordoned –off the area as firemen were seen aback the building taking statements from the hospital staff.
A photographer attached to this newspaper was barred from venturing close to the generator in question as the hospital’s safety officer informed that a fire drill was in progress.
The man then proceeded to inform the photographer on how to carry out his duties including suggestions that he should be covering an accident out of town. He said too that the media hardly covers corporate-social events which the hospital undertakes.
The Fire Service official told the Guyana Chronicle that indeed the Service assists with fire drills, but these are arranged in advance, and this was not the case Wednesday at the Woodlands Hospital.