At least 20 people died and several others were injured in a fire at the Mahdia Secondary School in the central Guyanese mining town of Mahdia, officials say.
The incident happened in the early hours of Monday, engulfing a secondary school dormitory and trapping students.
Emergency services are struggling to contain the fire because of bad weather conditions, the government says.
Several more people have been injured and some are being prepared for evacuation to the capital, Georgetown, where a special centre has been set up.
“This is a major disaster. It is horrible, it is painful,” said Guyanese President Irfaan Ali.
He was quoted by AFP as saying that, as well as medical teams stationed at the airport, Georgetown’s two major hospitals would be prepared “so that every single child who requires attention be given the best possible opportunity to get that attention.”
A Department of Public Information statement said “It is with great sadness that we bring to you a heart-wrenching update on the fire at the dormitory at the Mahdia Secondary School in central Guyana. We have lost many beautiful souls in that fire. The death toll currently stands at 20, while several others received injuries.”
The statement did not say whether the victims were students, teachers or other members of staff.
In an initial statement, the government said the “Cabinet is being briefed and kept updated on a horrific fire at the dormitory in Mahdia. Bad weather had complicated the early response.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with our children and their families at this time,” the statement added.
The Guyanese government’s initiative to raise the standard of education in the country’s less developed regions is focused on the Mahdia Secondary School Dormitory, where the fire occurred. The building of the school dormitory is referred to in past government comments as an endeavour to “bridge the gaps between the hinterland and coastal areas.”
Guyana is located between Venezuela and Suriname on the northern coast of South America.
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