Dorm Mother’ breaks down in court while recalling the inferno, losing son

THE Mahdia Fire Station was equipped to effectively respond to the tragic dormitory fire that resulted in the loss of 20 young lives, according to Fire Chief Gregory Wickham.
Wickham provided his testimony on Thursday during the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the devastating incident.
Wickham’s testimony followed that of Sub-Officer Ryan Scott, the Officer in Charge at the Mahdia Fire Station who had testified a day earlier.
Scott had stated that he’d made several recommendations for improvements at the station during an inspection of the dormitories three months before the tragic fire, and had communicated these deficiencies in writing to Wickham.

During Thursday’s hearing, the CoI’s attorney, Keoma Griffith, questioned Wickham about the contents of Scott’s letter. Wickham, who assumed the role of Fire Chief just last year, stated that upon receiving the first letter, he promptly organised a team to visit Mahdia to address maintenance issues there.
“They effected repairs,” he noted, explaining that most of the maintenance concerns were resolved, and a contractor had carried out repairs on the fire vehicles.
Wickham acknowledged being aware of the challenges facing the fire station prior to Scott’s appointment, saying that measures had already been taken to address them.
When asked if the station was adequately equipped for fire prevention, Wickham responded in the affirmative, saying, “Yes, it was effectively equipped to deal with fires.” However, he clarified that this should not have prevented firefighters from responding to the fire.
Regarding the availability of breathing apparatus at the station, which provides firefighters with an autonomous oxygen supply, Wickham admitted there was none at the time.

BUDGETARY CONSTRAINTS
He explained that budgetary constraints had prevented the purchase of the requisite apparatus, but that they had since been bought for the Mahdia Fire Station under the current administration.

Griffith expressed surprise that the fire station had been operating without breathing apparatus, which is considered a basic requirement for firefighting. Wickham conceded that this was a shortcoming.

Regarding the absence of a water bowser (a vehicle for transporting water) at the scene of the fire, Wickham explained that there was only one all-terrain vehicle (ATV) used as a fire tender, and no water tender was added to the fleet. He noted that the GFS had felt that an ATV could adequately meet the station’s firefighting needs at the time.
Griffith highlighted Scott’s recommendations for firefighting and rescue tools, such as sledgehammers and breaking-in tools, which were not provided to Mahdia.
Wickham explained that while the GFS did not have the required equipment in their stores at the time, but they had since obtained them.
When questioned about the station’s manpower during the fire, Wickham stated that only three firefighters were on duty, which is in stark contrast to what obtains in Georgetown, where over 20 firefighters typically respond to a fire.

He pointed out the need for additional manpower, and mentioned the ongoing training for new firefighters.
Regarding the presence of a fire hydrant at the school’s dormitories, Wickham confirmed there was none.

He explained that the water main installed by the Guyana Water Inc. (GWI) had not allowed for the installation of a fire hydrant, and that he’d informed the company about the area’s high-risk status, and the need for immediate changes to the water main, but unfortunately, no action has been taken, to date.
The CoI also heard emotional testimony from Carlette Williams, known formally as the ‘Dorm Mother’, who was trapped in the building and lost her five-year-old son in the process.
Williams, responsible for the well-being of a girl residing in the female dormitory, recounted the terrifying events leading up to the tragic fire.

AWAKENED BY THE SCREAMS
She described being awakened by the screams of the girls, and the overwhelming smoke, as she recalled her desperate attempts to escape and save the children.
Her husband, Jerome, who’d also served as the ‘Dorm Father’, managed to rescue some of the children, including the couple’s 10-year-old daughter, but, tragically, their five-year-old son was not among them.

Visibly shaken during her testimony, she related that she was responsible for the well-being and health of the girls who resided in the female dormitory, and she reported directly to the headteacher of the Mahdia Secondary School.
As Williams recounted the events leading up to the tragic fire, she revealed that she was awakened around 23:00 hours by loud screams from the girls, followed by a pounding on her bedroom door.

“Miss! Fire! Fire in the building!” Williams said as she recounted hearing the girls screaming.
The ‘Dorm Mother’ said that when she opened her bedroom door, she saw that the fire was in the ceiling, leading all the way back to the bathroom area.
“I got so scared, I tried to open the doors; I keep trying from one key to the next… I couldn’t even think; the noise was too much,” the woman said as he explained that everything was in a state of confusion, since the place was filled with smoke, which made it impossible to see.

She explained that in a state of panic, she dropped the keys in the thick smoke. Williams said that she was determined to get them out of the building, and went back to her room.
She explained that by then, the room was filled with girls, who were jumping and screaming for help. She recounted that several of the girls had already passed out on the floor, and that she remembers stepping on some of them while in search of her son in the room.

“I couldn’t find him,” the grieving mother said while fighting back the tears.
She told the COI that she left the room once more, and headed back into the thick smoke to get help. Guided by her memory of the layout of the building, Williams said she used her hands to “feel” for a way out.

The woman closed her eyes as he recalled feeling a cool breeze on her skin, and opening her eyes and seeing her husband, Jerome.
The inquiry into the Mahdia dormitory fire continues, with efforts to determine the circumstances and events that led to the devastating loss of young lives.

COMPLYING WITH RECOMMENDATIONS
Based on Scott’s recommendations from his inspection, which was done three months before the fire, it was noted that the buildings lacked fire alarm and fire detection systems, and all windows had grills, which he said had posed a risk to life and fire safety conditions.

Given the urgency of the recommendations, Griffith enquired from the Fire Chief what efforts were taken to address it.
Wickham once again pointed out that he has already taken steps to comply with Scott’s recommendations, and soon, and Mahdia can even expect its own water bowser soon.
Since the Fire Station was built, it was without a telephone number, and now, since the fire, it was given one where Mahdia residents can call for their emergency.
On May 22, the country was plunged into mourning after the fire, which the authorities later determined was maliciously set, ravaged the dormitory.
At the time of the fire, 56 of the girls were present, as three had gone home to their families for the weekend.

The children housed there were from Karisparu, El Paso, Micobie, and Chenapao, all remote communities in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).
Several of the survivors were airlifted to Georgetown for emergency care. One critically injured girl was medevacked to a New York health facility for further treatment, and has since been released.

The CoI is tasked with investigating and reporting on the events leading up to the dormitory fire, as well as the causes. Additionally, the CoI will examine the actions taken to provide care, medical attention, and support to the injured and deceased and their relatives in a timely manner.
The Commission is also expected to make recommendations to prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future.