Guyana Fire Service sees major decrease in fire calls

DPI, Guyana, Thursday, October 26, 2017

The Guyana Fire Service (GFS) has seen a 30 percent decrease in fire calls countrywide for the year. In an interview Fire Chief, Marlon Gentle explained that compared to last year, the GFS has seen a massive decline in fire calls.

“In 2016, at this same time, we had already responded to more than one thousand and seven hundred fire calls… one thousand seven hundred and sixty to be exact,” Gentle said.

He added, “… this year (in) October we have responded to one thousand two hundred and eighteen fire calls, which gives us about a thirty percent decrease.”

According to the Fire Chief, there has also been a considerable decline in building fires. “We have also seen a thirty percent decrease in buildings being involved by fires. At the same time last year, we already had 230 buildings being involved in fires. The same time this year there are only 160 to date.”

However, the reverse is true for motor vehicle fires, which saw an increase of some eighty percent. Gentle opined this may be as a result of unlawful deeds committed by malicious individuals.

“This usually results from the impacts after vehicular accidents, also there seems to be a trend of persons torturing these vehicles…whether it’s for malicious purposes or for insurance gains, we don’t know. But there is clearly an increase,” Gentle explained.

In 2016, there were 31 cases of motor vehicle fires, while there are 56 recorded cases thus far.

 

By: Crystal Stoll