Children evacuated from the Plum Park Children and Family Centre will receive additional counselling and therapy following Monday night’s fire, Minister of Human Services and Social Security Dr. Vindhya Persaud has announced.
In an update on Tuesday, Persaud said the ministry would address the children’s mental health and psychological needs while ensuring they continue attending school and receiving care.
All 26 children housed at the facility were safely evacuated and accounted for, she said. The children were relocated to other state care institutions, while those requiring medical attention were taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital.
Persaud said the additional support would help the children cope with the distress caused by the fire, alongside counselling they were already receiving.
“Being in an environment where there’s fire, of course, that gives some level of trauma, so there will be additional therapy for these children,” she said.
The minister explained that the children came from different backgrounds and had been placed in state care for varying reasons. Their individual circumstances would continue to guide the support provided.
Plans to reunite some of the children with their families, which were already in place before the fire, will also proceed.
“Some of the children were scheduled to be reunited with their families. That will proceed,” Persaud said.
According to the Guyana Fire Service (GFS), firefighters encountered flames on the upper floor of the female dormitory. Nine children suffered smoke inhalation and received treatment from emergency medical technicians before being transported to hospital for further care. Crews extinguished the blaze and prevented it from spreading.
Persaud said some of the children taken to hospital had asthma, one had epilepsy and others experienced panic attacks. She said the children who required medical attention had been examined and treated and were expected to be discharged on Tuesday.
The minister credited caregivers with acting swiftly to evacuate the children and thanked firefighters, police, child protection personnel and members of the public who assisted.
She said the fire was confined to one building within the complex. At the time of her update, its cause had not been determined, and she said a police investigation would form part of the inquiry.
Persaud also outlined plans to strengthen staff preparedness for emergencies, including training in first aid, basic life support and crisis management.
She said routine fire drills were conducted at the ministry’s care facilities and that buildings were equipped with fire extinguishers and other firefighting equipment. Further training, she explained, would help more staff members respond calmly and effectively during a crisis.
