The Guyana Fire Service is urging parents and guardians to ensure children are not left unattended, and that matches and lighters are kept out of their reach.

This comes after the Fire Service responded to a number of fires within the past week during which the alleged cause was as a result of children playing with lighters and matches.

Two of these fires, according to a press release, occurred a week apart, with the first being on November 29. Firefighters responded to the call about a fire at Lot 19 Public Road Agricola, East Bank Demerara, that was allegedly started as a result of a child playing with a lighter on a mattress.

The mattress was subsequently ignited leading to the destruction of the structure. The property was two storeys high and made of wood and concrete.

Meanwhile, on December 06, firefighters responded to the call about a fire at Lot 10 Ann’s Grove, East Coast Demerara. The single flat, wooden and concrete building was ablaze after the children there began playing with a lighter. It was reported that the flames caught on to nearby combustible materials then ignited the house.

“The Fire Service calls on parents and guardians to teach their children about the dangers and consequences of playing with items such as lighters and matches that can easily start fires,” the release noted.

Fire Chief Gregory Wickham implored that it is important to teach children the dos and don’ts of fire safety and prevention. He made the remarks during the Fire Service’s inaugural kids’ camp on November 25, 2023.

This camp was geared at promoting fire safety. Just around 50 primary and secondary school-aged children from the community of Lodge and surrounding areas were in attendance and benefitted from the camp.

Furthermore, in November, the Fire Service also conducted several fire prevention training and awareness sessions with the aim of empowering citizens to better protect their homes and surroundings from fires during the Christmas season.