Eight soldiers were injured, including three who suffered severe burns, following an explosion of fireworks at the Coast Guard Headquarters, at Ruimveldt yesterday afternoon.
The explosion occurred while the soldiers were offloading the fireworks from a truck as they were making preparations for last evening’s planned fireworks display in observation of the country’s 50th republic anniversary.
The Guyana Defence Force (GDF), in a statement issued yesterday, confirmed the incident, which occurred around 1.30 pm. GDF Chief-of-Staff Brigadier Patrick West, it noted, has since ordered a Board of Inquiry to investigate the circumstances surrounding the explosion. The incident also resulted in the cancellation of the annual midnight fireworks display, which had been planned for the Stabroek Square.