Chief Fire Officer cited for dereliction of duty concerning Mahdia Dormitory, Mahdia Fire Station

Last Updated on Sunday, 21 January 2024, 10:35 by Denis Chabrol

Fire Chief Gregory Wickham

Chief Fire Officer of the Guyana Fire Service, Gregory Wickham has been cited for dereliction of duty by failing to, among other things, give priority to a report about poor fire safety at the Mahdia Secondary School’s dormitory less than three months after the inferno that killed 19 girls and the housemother’s son.

The Sub-Officer in Charge of the Mahdia Fire Station, Mr. Ryan Scott, according to the report of the Commission of Inquiry into the dorm fire, had inspected the dorm  on February 7, 2023, compiled and dispatched a report t0 Chief Fire Officer Gregory Wickham identifying several fire safety weaknesses at that State-owned facility. The COI report states that Mr Scott reported a list of deficiencies associated with the Mahdia dormitories. It cited that for the dormitory buildings, there was a complete absence of any fire prevention system.
Accordingly, there was no fire alarm system, no fire detection system, no exit signs and no smoke detection system. The report also highlighted that there were only three fire extinguishers provided in the buildings and grills were seen on all the windows.

The COI concluded that the fire was intentionally set,  and in the hours before a female student had threatened to burn down the dorm if she did get back her phone which had been seized because the use of phones is prohibited from 9 PM. “She say, i would just bun down this dorms. if I didn’t get to do it tonight, i will do it tomorrow,” a student testified.  In terms of response, the COI said the guard on duty did not know Sub-Officer’s Scott’s number and so could not call him. Sub-Officer Ryan Scott told the Inquiry that that members of the town had to contact his personal mobile phone.

Mr Scott  told the COI that having assumed duty at the Mahdia Fire Station in July 2o22, he dispatched an email to the the Chief Fire Officer on August 4, 2022 asking that “urgent attention” be paid to the poor condition of the fire tender there. The Inquiry also heard that Mr Scott dispatched a second email on August 9, 2022 listing a number of items that was “urgently needed” at the Mahdia Fire Station “to safely, effectively and efficiently carry out the function of the Guyana Fire Service”. Mr Scott, according to the report, testified that he never received a response to that email, and the fire station there was not equipped with many of items which he requested, but they had a light pump, and a power saw.

“It is expected that the head of the fire service of any country, being in possession of reports such as these, would go beyond the bounds of duty and service to ensure compliance therewith. This we feel, in all circumstances, was lacking from the Chief Fire Officer,” states the COI which was chaired by Retired Major General Joseph Singh.

The Commission stopped short of  saying that Mr Wickham should be disciplined, but recommended that Mr Scott be promoted to lead the fire service. “We note that in the face of very limited resources from the Guyana Fire Service, this officer took the initiative and exemplified bravery in all his dealings in responding to the fire on the evening of 21st May 2023. We consider these traits to be fitting for emulation by all members of the Guyana Fire Service. It is certain that the Guyana Fire Service would benefit from Mr. Scott serving at a higher leadership capacity in the Service,” the Inquiry Report states.  The Commission specifically recommended that Sub-Officer Scott be promoted, and conferred with a national award which is at the discretion of the President of Guyana.

The COI report states that the Chief Fire Officer gave “scant regard” to the Ryan Scott report that contains critical information in the interest of life and fire safety. The Commission notes that Mr Wickham admitted that of the 12 recommendations, his action was only taken in
relation to that concerning fire hydrants- the only action having been that he had informed Guyana Water Incorporated  of the requirement to have water mains upgraded and nothing else. “This we consider to be bare minimum action and certainly not a fulfillment of the duties bestowed on the most senior fire officer of this country,” the report states.

The Inquiry Commissioners- Retired Major General Singh, Chairman of the National Toshaos Council Derrick Rowan John and Attorney-at-Law Dr Joycelin Kim-Kyte Thomas- also frowned on the Chief Fire Officer’s explanation that the standard operating procedure only required
him to ensure the Regional Education Officer (REdO) was furnished with the report. The Commission regarded that specific action as essentially passing off onto the REdO, the responsibility of ensuring that the emergency recommendations in the report were brought to life.

The C0mmissioners said they also found it regrettable that in all circumstances and even with all his  experience as the most senior fire officer in this country, the Chief Fire Officer did not see the need, nor did he take the initiative, to communicate to the Permanent Secretary of his Ministry, the emergency recommendations.

The COI report states that the Ryan Scott Report to the Chief Fire Officer went on to provide a list of 12 requirements/recommendations to address fire prevention at the facility. These included: –
1. A suitable fire alarm system which can give sufficient audible warning throughout the premises must be provided.
2. All final exits (doors) must be constructed to open outwards along the line of exit travel.
3. Suitable exit signs red in colour on white background not less than 100mm in height, must be conspicuously displayed over all final exits.
4. Precise instructions with actions to be taken in the event of a fire must be prominently displayed on the walls throughout the building.
5. Suitable storage facilities (racks, shelves, cupboards, etc.) must be provided for all items. They must be constructed or situated in such a way that allows free and adequate passageway to be maintained.
6. All items stored in the building must be neatly arranged leaving a minimum clearance of at least 30cm from ceiling level and 15cm in any other direction.
7. No fuel must be stored on the premises without permission from this department.
8. A high standard of housekeeping must be maintained throughout the building at all times.
9. Grills must be removed from all windows immediately.
10. Six (6) fire extinguishers along with six (6) smoke detectors must be provided and all Fire Extinguishers must be hung on brackets with their handles 1.4m from floor level to facilitate handling by persons of any height.
11. Efforts must be made for all staff to be trained in the use and operation of firefighting equipment (fire extinguishers) and evacuation procedures.
12. Hydrants must be installed. Note: the water main leading to the dorms is 2” in diameter.

The water bowser and water tender at the Mahdia Fire Station

By email dated 4th August, 2022, Sub-Officer Scott reported to the Chief Fire Officer the condition of the AT1 Hinterland (Fire Tender) and its ability to provide an effective fire response. In the report, Sub-Officer Scott impressed on the Fire Chief that there was a need for urgent attention to be given to the following: –
1. That the Fire Tender required a change of tires due to one being burst and beyond
repair and others seriously damaged;
2. That the cab of the Fire Tender was rotting due to it suffering from flooding;
3. That the Fire Tender was not idling;
4. That the pedal was broken;
5. That the seats were damaged and stained with red loam;
6. That the ladder rack was broken off;
7. That the head lamp required replacing due to it providing poor lighting;
8. That a siren was needed;
9. That the hose reel was out of order;
10. That the Fire Tender needed spraying and body work;
11. That beacon lights were not working and required replacement.

The COI report states that the Chief Fire Officer was also confronted by the portion of the After-Action report which informed that there was a slow buildup of air in the Fire Tender due to leaking in the air line which caused the wheels to lock off. We note that this was an issue which was reported in the Scott report of 4th August, 2022. According to the Commissioners, Mr Wickham relied on the excuse that effluxion of time from the tender’s last maintenance caused the mechanical issues to ensue. However, this excuse found little favour with this Commission since it was the Chief Fire Officer who was specifically informed of the issues with the tender, which he admitted was an aged appliance. “The CFO therefore should have ensured systems were put in place either for a new tender to be provided, or there was regular maintenance and repair of the tender,” the Inquiry report states.

On 9th August 2022, Sub-Officer Scott provided another report to the CFO, this time identifying a number of items which were urgently needed at the Mahdia Fire Station to safely, effectively and efficiently carry out the function of the Guyana Fire Service. He accordingly requested:
one (1) light pump
one (1) power saw
one (1) disc cutter one (1) compressor
one (1) jaws of life
one (1) hydraulic ram
two (2) rescue lines
four (4) pairs of carabiners
one (1) pair harness
one (1) descender
one (1) pair anchor strap
one (1) tripod
six (6) pullies
one (1) sled stretcher
one (1) sledge hammer
fifteen (15) lengths of delivery
hose, two (2) basket strainers
one (1) bolt cutter
three (3) cutlasses
two (2) branches
four (4) breathing apparatus sets and cylinders
one (1) pair of torch lights
one (1) spot light
one (1) paid ceiling hook
one (1) crowbar
one (1) pair suction wrenches
one (1) pair ascenders
and one (1) stretcher

The COI said the the Chief Fire Officer explained that the Fire Service was unable to provide such supply “because through our budgetary allocation, we were not able to acquire any at the particular time”. In response, the Commissioners rejected the Chief Fire Officer’s explanation of budgetary constraints as a justification for Mahdia Fire Station not being supplied with essential tools of trade to effectively carry out their functions on the night in question. The Commissioners said the former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, that agency has systems in place to respond to any emergency request. “An emergency request for the supply of essential tools of trade made at the level of the CFO (Chief Fire Officer) would not have been denied,” the report added.