It was chaos and confusion at the Camp Street Prison yesterday as the terrified families of prisoners housed at the facility tried to find out if their loved ones were among those who had died or been injured in the fire which had razed a section of the facility.
As the charred bodies of the dead men were removed the hundreds who had swarmed the compound begged for some official word.
In the absence of this information, rumours flew and emotions were high.
Some questioned how the authorities allowed the fire to consume a large section of the building.
It was not until late yesterday afternoon that several families were allowed into the prisons officers’ quarters to check a list of the fire victims for their relative’s name.
This proved a blessing for some who were able to leave the building opposite the prison complex exhaling in relief.
“Thank God!” one woman said, “is not he dead! He name not on the list!”
Other families saw some members become inconsolable when it was confirmed that one of their number had passed.
It took in some cases three persons to support one of the screaming members.
Meanwhile, Cliffton Hicken, Commander of ‘A’ Division after visiting the scene of the fire explained that around 9 am yesterday they received a telephone call informing them that smoke was emanating from the new wing of the prison.
He said that several ranks reported to the scene where they found prison officers using a torch to cut the grills of the cells to free the prisoners.
According to Hicken investigations including a thorough review of the scene are continuing.
GPHC
Meanwhile at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation there was also confusion and frustration.
Persons had begun arriving in their numbers just after noon, eager to hear any news regarding their friends and family.
What they were met with however, was the cordoned off entrance of the Accident and Emergency Unit and ranks who were tight-lipped about the situation.
When the ambulances and fire service vehicles arrived to transport the injured, every precaution was taken to ensure the identities of the injured were not revealed. The vans reversed into the entryway of the Accident and Emergency Unit and the faces of the prisoners were covered.
Over the course of the afternoon, seven persons were counted as having been admitted at the hospital for injuries, whether severe or minor.
About ten minutes after the first unit arrived on the scene, came the announcement that 15 persons had died. Of that 15, one death had been confirmed at the hospital; that of Rayon Paddy, who had been badly burnt as a result of the fire. He died while receiving treatment. By 5 pm the confirmed death toll had risen to 17.
Not long after the announcement of the number that had perished, the impatient crowd began threatening a riot.
They had waited in nervous anticipation for reports from the relevant authorities. None came.
“We asking them questions and they ain’t saying nothing. At least if this going on, come out and tell people what is the position, people have to know what’s going on,” one woman shouted.
“We don’t want to go in a crowd, we just want to go in one by one and identify our family,” another chimed in. “We gon go home once we know it’s not our family.”
A relative of prisoner, Jermaine Otto, expressed frustration, stating that all reports reaching the family indicated that he had died. These reports, however, had not come from or been confirmed by any relevant authorities. Otto was later confirmed to be among the 17 that had succumbed.
News of the deaths came one by one. Groups of bawling mothers and weeping relatives exited the morgue across the street in intervals after identifying the bodies of their loved ones. Some collapsed and had to be supported by those around them. Others who had still received no information, left, angry and frustrated, to seek answers at the Camp Street prison.
Cell phone
Stabroek News later visited Otto’s family. His reputed wife Anandi Bisram, said that she last spoke to her husband yesterday morning. He had called to inform her that officers had taken his cell phone and that if she wished to make contact with him, she should call him on another number.
Bisram also told Stabroek News, that her family was afraid that her husband’s cousin had also died. She had been told that when the blaze started in her husband’s cell, he was trapped and his cousin, Rudolf Marks, went to save him but he was pushed by someone into the blaze.
Otto, leaves to mourn his wife, two children, ages 10 and 8 and his father. It was alleged that Otto had murdered businessman Ashok Raghoo in 2014. Meanwhile his cousin, Marks, who has no children or surviving parents, was charged with robbery under arms. Marks is not among those confirmed dead or injured.
Stabroek News was also able to speak with the family of Anthony Primo. When visited at their Laing Avenue home they were inconsolable.
They explained that they had last seen Primo on Tuesday when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ court to answer to charges related to the America Street money changers robbery which occurred last November.
According to Primo’s reputed wife, Lakeisha Shalls, he had complained of not getting food and being locked up in an isolated room.
Sandra Primo, Primo’s mother said that after she heard that her son was not getting his meals in prison, she would cook and send food for him. She said that yesterday, before midday she had cooked for him and sent the food with a friend, who told her that Primo was in the hospital.
After hearing this, the family rushed to the hospital, only to be told that he was one of the prisoners who had died.
Primo leaves to mourn, his wife, his mother, four children ages, 2, 1, 8, 9 and three siblings.
