IN January 2002, Lakshmi Kallicharran died after being trapped as fire ravaged her heavily grilled home in Kitty. Years later, under similar circumstances, a mother and her three young children perished at Linden and two children, their grandparents and five dogs were burnt to death in their home at New Amsterdam, Berbice.

The recent tragedy at Mahdia which claimed 19 young lives and threw the country into a state of shock and mourning, has reopened old wounds and conversations about the use of grillwork to secure buildings and the death trap it creates.

Aside from those listed above, many others have died by fire after grillworks on the buildings they were in hampered rescue efforts.

Safety is a multi-faceted issue which can be overwhelming to address, mainly because dealing with one aspect in isolation can result in catastrophic consequences.
We can all agree that safety is a primary concern for many people. However, oftentimes this safety relates only to protection from criminal elements. People hardly take into account how certain measures can affect safety in other areas, such as a fire.

Regarding the abovementioned cases, those homeowners more than likely installed grills to protect themselves, property and possessions from thieves and invaders.
For one reason or the other, many do not address their minds to the possibility of fires occurring. Given the destruction it leaves behind, fires should not be overlooked. The smoke will fill your airways and kill you before help arrives.

Fire safety is not usually at the top of people’s priority list. Big store owners and business people would consider it because of the cost of the goods they have in stock. For those operating the corner shop and home owners, it is not.

In the wake of the Mahdia tragedy, people are asking the relevant questions and are questioning why certain firefighting equipment which would have more than likely lessened the scale of the disaster, were not in place at that location. Importantly, many of those who are being the judge, jury and executioner are themselves guilty of not paying attention to fire safety in their own homes.

What must we do now? How can we prevent a similar incident in the future? These are the questions we must ask ourselves.

The answer is simple. We must first begin by taking responsibility for our own safety. It is up to us as individuals to ensure that firefighting equipment is within hand reach and we know how to respond when there is a fire.

Most homes, offices and business places in Guyana do not have fire extinguishers, but they are heavily grilled or sealed.

Grilled windows and doors locked with keys could never be safe, no matter how one looks at it.

Over the years, local security experts have cautioned the public against using such measures to satisfy one’s self that they are safe. This false sense of security has led to deadly consequences, and this will continue to occur unless there is a national effort to change that mindset.

The installation of a ‘wicket door’ secured with a padlock can be added to use as an escape route in the event of a fire. Another option is to leave some windows without grills
There are other safer options to consider including home alarm systems, CCTV cameras, trained security guards, private, armed patrols and dogs.

We must all adopt a proactive attitude and not a reactive one when it comes to fire safety. Investing in sprinklers, smoke detectors, fire extinguishers and other firefighting gear and focusing heavily on fire drills are the best options to protect us from fiery deaths.