TWO WEEKS after the devastating fires that engulfed the Double Day Hotel at Tuschen and the residence of its owner in Vergenoegen, authorities have yet to determine the exact causes of the blazes.
Chief Fire Officer, Gregory Wickham, confirmed to the Guyana Chronicle on Wednesday that both investigations remain active.
However, Wickham added that he was unable to provide further details at this stage, as both fire probes remain active.

Given the scale of destruction, volume of evidence and the sensitive nature of the scenes, the investigations are expected to take time.
The fires erupted on April 24, 2025—just hours after the lifeless body of 11-year-old Adriana Younge was found in the swimming pool at the hotel.
The child had been reported missing the day before, after a family outing at the facility. Her death sparked public outrage and calls for justice.

Later that same day, tensions boiled over as protesters stormed the hotel grounds, looted sections of the building, and blocked the main road with burning debris. Amid the chaos, a fire broke out inside one of the hotel rooms.
Shortly afterward, a second fire was reported at the owner’s home in Vergenoegen. That property was also looted and completely gutted by flames, leaving only the structure’s outer walls intact.
While investigators from the Guyana Fire Service continue to assess both incidents, no conclusions have been made public.
The Guyana Police Force is also conducting parallel investigations into both the child’s death and the unrest that followed.

Adriana, a pupil of the Parika Salem Primary School, had recently completed the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA), and was eagerly awaiting her results, which are scheduled for release in June.
Three internationally respected forensic pathologists unanimously concluded that the child died by drowning. The four-hour-long post-mortem was comprehensive, involving full-body scans, internal examinations, and with samples sent for testing at both Mount Sinai Hospital and the National Medical Services Laboratory in the United States of America (USA).

The post-mortem examination of Adriana confirmed that she died from drowning, with no signs of physical violence, broken bones, forced submersion, or sexual assault.
However, due to the body’s state of decomposition, the doctors were unable to determine the exact time or location of the drowning.
Meanwhile, the investigation into Adriana’s death is ongoing, with authorities assuring the public that no aspect of the case is being neglected.

President, Dr Irfaan Ali has assured the nation that a thorough and impartial investigation will be conducted into Younge’s death, vowing that no stone will be left unturned in the pursuit of justice.
According to the police the hotel owner who was initially taken into custody was released after the statutory detention period elapsed but has been ordered to report to the station daily.
“Further, the Immigration Department has ‘blacklisted’ or prohibited the owner of the hotel from leaving the jurisdiction,” the police had said in a release.
As part of the ongoing probe, DNA samples from the hotel owner and the deceased child “will be escorted this evening by a forensic investigator for advanced testing and analysis to be conducted at the Mount Sinai Health System, New York,” the GPF stated.

The release also highlighted serious lapses in the handling of the investigation by both police and civilian personnel.
Among those now on administrative leave is Assistant Commissioner Khalid Mandall.

A civilian employee assigned to the command centre is also off duty after admitting that she “entered the wrong date whilst checking the camera system” near the hotel, resulting in a false report that a girl matching Adriana’s description had left the premises with a man.
“As a consequence of her error, she misled the ranks,” the GPF stated.

A sergeant attached to the Special Constabulary Unit has also come under scrutiny for relaying false information to colleagues.
She had claimed that an anonymous male caller told her Adriana had entered a black Raum vehicle.
However, investigators traced the call and discovered the caller was an acquaintance of the sergeant.

The GPF noted that the man admitted he was merely repeating speculation he overheard and had spent 10 minutes discussing it with the officer.
“The call log also confirmed the duration of the phone call as related by this individual,” police said.

Further, a Corporal and a Constable have also been relieved of their duties “due to neglect,” as the probe continues to examine all angles of the case.