A top official in Guyana has revealed that investigators believe the deadly fire at a school dormitory, which resulted in the deaths of 19 individuals, mostly girls, was deliberately started by a student.
The motive behind the fire is said to be the student’s anger over having her mobile phone confiscated. The student had faced disciplinary action from the dorm administrator for being involved with an older man. According to the official, the fire was ignited by the student in a bathroom area after she had threatened to burn down the dormitory. Tragically, the fire quickly spread through the building, constructed with wood, concrete, and iron grills, which had been locked for the night by the dorm administrator to prevent the girls from leaving.
The suspected student, approximately 14 years old, sustained burns and is currently receiving medical treatment. Once released from the hospital, she will be placed in juvenile detention until she reaches adulthood. The official mentioned that the student claimed to have started the fire out of concern for her fellow students who frequently left the building at night. The victims primarily comprised Indigenous girls aged 12 to 18 from remote villages, with one additional victim being the five-year-old son of the dorm administrator. Several injured individuals, including the suspect, remain in the hospital, with some in critical condition. It is anticipated that the man involved in the relationship with the student will face statutory rape charges due to her age. The government of Guyana has accepted assistance from the United States, including forensic and expert teams, as well as DNA identification specialists, to support the investigation and the identification of the victims.
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