At least 19 young people die in school dormitory fire

At least 19 “young people” died in Guyana in the fire of a girls’ school dormitory in Mahdia, a landlocked mining town in this small country in northeastern South America, overnight from Sunday to Monday .

“Fourteen young people died on the spot, while five died at the Mahdia district hospital. Two children are still in critical condition, while four suffer from serious injuries,” according to a statement from the fire brigade on Monday.

These six wounded “were transferred by plane to Georgetown”, the capital, while “five others are still hospitalized in Mahdia and ten others are under observation”, according to the same source.

A previous assessment, given by the government, reported 20 dead in the fire at the dormitory of the secondary school of Mahdia, in the center of the country.

The first elements of the investigation suggest a “malicious” cause.

“The initial investigation suggests that the fire was started in a malicious manner,” said Guyanese police chief Clifton Hicken on Monday during a televised briefing in the small mining town of Mahdia, scene of the tragedy, in the presence of the Guyanese President Irfaan Ali.