The 33 children evacuated from the Hope Children’s Home after a fire at the East Coast Demerara facility on Friday have begun to receive trauma-focused counselling, Minister of Human Services and Social Security Dr Vindhya Persaud said.
All children residing at the privately owned institution were safely evacuated after the fire broke out sometime after 11:00 hrs, destroying the boys’ dormitory. They were reportedly attending Vacation Bible School in the church building on the compound when the blaze erupted in the dormitory.
While all children survived, three people sustained minor injuries and were taken to the Enmore Regional Hospital for treatment.
The Childcare and Protection Agency, along with ministry officials, has since relocated the children to the Mahaica Children’s Home, where they will continue to receive care and support.
“At present, we have housed them in our state care. I have already engaged the children and also the caregivers and we are working with them to make sure that they are comfortable, safe and we are starting the first session of trauma focused-counselling,” Persaud said.
Speaking at the scene, Chief Fire Officer Gregory Wickham said the fire was contained to the structure, and stressed the importance of protecting the children’s lives.
Administrator Kenneth Finlayson said staff acted quickly after the fire broke out. “The team that we have were ready to work. The staff that was there, they all grabbed the kids.
We were able to evacuate everybody out on the road. I went right away, take the power off. Where the power source is, there was no fire there, but above that is the boys’ dorms,” he said.
Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, who visited the scene, praised the swift response of the home’s administrators, police, residents and fire service.
“What will happen next, of course they’ll go into their investigative mode to ascertain the reason or the cause of the fire,” he said.
Residents at the scene praised the fire service’s quick response but called for more efficient water services in the community.
