A wheelchair-bound woman from Blairmont was the only reported fire-related fatality in Regions Five and Six between January and September 2026, as firefighters recorded 68 houses destroyed by fire during the nine-month period.
Division Fire Officer Clive McDonald said the regions recorded a slight increase in residential fires compared with the corresponding period in 2025, when 67 houses were destroyed. No fire-related deaths were reported during that period last year.
The sole fatality this year was Bibi Shafroon Ramprashad, known as “Zina,” of Lot 95, Number Two Settlement, Blairmont, West Bank Berbice. She died on June 2 after a fire broke out at her home while she was alone.
Beyond residential fires, the Guyana Fire Service recorded damage to 10 government buildings, six businesses, one church, two sheds, one stall, four bonds, one lubricant facility and one rice mill.
The service also responded to 32 electrical fires, 49 incidents classified as F.A.M. and 12 vehicle fires.
Grass and rubbish fires accounted for a significant number of additional incidents, with 256 grass fires and 92 rubbish fires recorded across the two regions.
McDonald disclosed that investigations found 344 fires across certain categories were deliberately set, while 46 were classified as maliciously set.
He warned that unattended fires were contributing to the spread of grass fires, particularly amid the prevailing El Niño conditions, placing nearby communities and road users at risk.
“People are lighting fires and leaving them unattended, allowing them to spread across open fields and other lands,” McDonald said.
He explained that grass fires can also reduce visibility for motorists, making it difficult for drivers to navigate roads safely.
The fire officer urged residents to exercise greater responsibility when dealing with fires and to report suspicious activities or fires at abandoned properties.
He added that the division continues to conduct public education and sensitisation exercises to promote fire prevention and encourage residents to take steps to protect lives and property.
