Fire Service officials, accompanied by the police, the Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, the Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, and other officials, are headed to Karasabai Village in Region 9 to carry out investigations and engage residents following a fire that destroyed the Girls’ Hostel early this morning.
The report was received at approximately 4:00 a. m., a statement from the government said.
“At this time we can confirm that everyone was evacuated from the building, and no one was injured. However, the building and its contents were destroyed. Investigations are ongoing”, the statement said.
Reports say that the St Angela dorm at Karasabai was run by the Ursuline sisters and built to accommodate 60. Only 17 girls were present at the time, all escaped unharmed. It was opened last August by the Roman Catholic Church to help accommodate girls from far-flung areas.
The Karasabai blaze comes on the heels of the May 21 fire that destroyed a dormitory in Mahdia killing 20 children.
Catholic Media Guyana today posted the following statement:
Earlier this morning a fire destroyed one section of the St. Angela’s Girls’ Hostel in Karasabai, Region 9 which was opened in August last year.
Sr Nishi Kujur OSU, sister in charge, has advised that all the girls and religious sisters living at the hostel are safe.
The students are from the South Pakaraimas villages of Yurongparu, Rukumuta, Tipuru, Tiger Pond and Taushida.
Fr Joel Thompson SJ, was asked by His Lordship Bishop Francis Alleyne OSB to immediately assess the situation and is en route from Aishalton.
State and regional officials are also in the village to offer support and interventions to the affected students.
The dorms, an apostolic service of the Ursuline Sisters of Tildonk were constructed by the community via self-help and the Catholic church to accommodate girls from the six communities in the South Pakaraimas.
Pastoral work is done in collaboration with the Jesuits in Guyana.
