Firefighter in Guyana hospitalised after battling school fire dies

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC –Twenty-seven-year-old firefighter Vashan Manbodh, who was badly injured when a wall collapsed on him as he battled a fire at a school in Guyana last Wednesday, has died.

Manbodh passed away late Saturday at the Georgetown Hospital.

He reportedly suffered multiple head injuries as well as injuries to other parts of his body.

His death came hours after his family raised concern about his care at the hospital, complaining that he was in an open ward, although seriously injured, and had not been administered an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scan to ascertain internal injuries.

“Since Wednesday he was in the hospital, and his situation has gotten worse. He was speaking coherently on Wednesday and today (Saturday) his condition deteriorated to the extent that he is not speaking coherently or recognising persons he should be able to recognise and he also has to be restrained,” a family member told News Source shortly before the man’s death.

It is reported that the fireman sustained fractures to his neck, which affected his motor skills.

The death of the firefighter has left the Guyana Fire Service in a state of shock and disbelief.

Two other firefighters who were injured are still recovering.

This is the first time in more than two decades that a fireman has lost his life as a result of injuries sustained in the line of work.

The Mae’s School was gutted by fire on Wednesday.

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