11 Psychiatric Hospital patients rushed for emergency treatment after fire

Last Updated on Saturday, 5 June 2021, 23:01 by Denis Chabrol

A number of male patients at the Psychiatric Hospital, Canje on Saturday night lit mattresses, resulting in damage to the wooden building and hospitalisation of at least 11 of them, police said.

“Eleven  of the patients who received burns about their bodies were rushed to the New Amsterdam Hospital where they were admitted and are in a stable condition,” police said.

Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) Commander, Senior Superintendent Jairam Ramlakhan told Demerara Waves Online News / News-Talk Radio Guyana 103.1 FM there were 31 patients at the mental health institution and so far police accounted for about 25 patients.

Mr. Ramlakhan said firefighters, police and community police members were combing the compound and surrounding areas to locate other inmates.

The senior police officer said the building was damaged slightly.

None of the nurses was injured by any of the patients.

The Guyana Police Force later said as the fire Service was in the process of extinguishing the fire, the patients broke out from a southern door and 9 of the them escaped.

Police said three of them have been recaptured and a fourth voluntarily walked into the hospital as police continue the hunt for the remaining five. They all have burns about their body and are currently receiving medical attention.

Eight of the remaining patients are now housed in the Acute Centre, while three are housed in Chalet One.