Following criticisms of its response to the fatal Alberttown blaze that left two Venezuelan women dead on Thursday, the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) yesterday defended its performance, while denying that it showed up unprepared.
Marialina Texidor, 25, and Maria Alejandra Patina Benjamett, 41, both died in the fire at their Lot 136, Fifth Street Alberttown, Georgetown apartment. The fire is suspected to have been caused by an unattended stove.
While Stabroek News reported witnesses accusing the firefighters of showing up without the necessary tools to gain entry to the heavily grilled buildings, and without water to combat the blaze, the GFS in a statement in response refuted the allegations.
Highlighting some of the challenges that it said contributed to the firefighters not being able to save the lives of the women who perished in the fire, the GFS pointed to the poor construction of the building, which did not possess the necessary fire safety mechanisms.
The property housed several buildings which are known as the Vizion Hotel and Apartments.
“There were no alternative methods of escape in the occurrence of a fire or any other emergency, as it was observed that there was only one way in and one way out of the four individual apartments,” it said, while also noting that no smoke alarms or fire extinguishers were provided for the tenants of the apartments.
According to the GFS statement, on arrival the firefighters observed that the first floor of the building was engulfed in flames.
Additionally, it said it was observed that the windows and single door to the apartments were “heavily fortified,’ that is, “fully grilled, which hampered firefighters from gaining access to the apartment in a timely manner.”
Nevertheless, the statement said the tenders that responded to the scene were fully equipped with the necessary tools and accessories to address the issue of entry into the building.
“These were effectively used to break the iron grill and wooden door to gain entrance,” it noted.
The GFS also explained that it is standard practice for all dispatched firefighting vehicles to be equipped with its full capacity of water to begin extinguishing activities.
“On arrival at the scene senior officers are trained to determine the location of water outlets from water hydrants and nearby sources of water. On this occasion there was never a shortage of water for firefighting as open sources of water were used to extinguish the blaze,” it added.
The GFS said it was in no way making excuses for the tragedy that occurred but only seeking to clarify and educate the public on what transpired, while alleging that these were misconstrued in this newspaper’s report.
It added that firefighters will be exposed to more advanced training both at the regional and international level so as to better serve citizens. “These and other initiatives like the decentralization of the Central Fire Station are all part of the modernization and development of the Guyana Fire Service,” it said.
Witnesses had contended that the women could have been saved if the fire service’s response had been better.
“The fire truck only come with couple ah them (firefighters), about four ah them on it. No water, nothing. No sledge hammer, nothing fah cut the grill them. We trying as civilian to get in the place but the smoke was affecting we….we try we best fah see what we can do….the fire service didn’t had no equipment and these thing to cut the grill to assist the people and them seeing the people. The people was hollering,” a taxi driver, who wished not to be named explained.
Texidor’s father, Alex Texidor, also expressed dissatisfaction at the GFS’ response. “The firefighters, they went but they didn’t bring any tools to open the door….the fire station is one minute away and they reach late and with no tools….I can’t believe this is happening in Guyana,” he had said.
“One door that place get. One grill, yuh know, them hustling with and when them get the grill open them can’t even go in. Them frighten fah go in. The louvre window them ain’t break none… Is people had fah go inside and break them window,” another resident said.
