South America
Guyana: 20 dead in school dormitory fire
At least 20 people have died in a school dormitory fire in Guyana, South America. photo
© -/Guyana’s Department of Public Information/AP/dpa
Located in the north of South America on the Atlantic coast, Guyana is one of the poorest countries on the continent. Many students are killed in a fire there.
At least 20 people have died in a fire in a school dormitory in Guyana, South America. “We lost many wonderful souls in this fire,” the country’s government said. Several people were injured. The authorities initially did not provide information on the age of the victims. The fire happened at the Mahdia Secondary School in the Potaro-Siparuni region in the center of the country.
Seven children are being taken to the capital, Georgetown, for medical care, it said. Five planes are already on their way to Mahdia to bring medical supplies to the affected region, among other things. In its statement, the government asked for prayers for the children, their families and the community. Poor weather conditions had made it difficult to contain the fire, a previous statement said.
According to local media, the fire broke out on Monday night for reasons that have not yet been clarified. The state with 800,000 inhabitants is one of the poorest countries in South America.