CNN
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At least 20 people have been killed and several others injured in a “horrific” school fire in the South American country of Guyana, officials said Monday.
“It is with great sadness that we bring you a heartbreaking update on the dormitory fire at Mahdia Secondary School” in central Guyana, a statement from the Department of Public Information said. “We have lost many beautiful souls in that fire. The death toll currently stands at 20, while several others were injured.”
The statement did not say whether the victims were students, teachers or other staff.
But it added that officials were preparing to transport seven children to the capital Georgetown for medical treatment.
The Guyanese government earlier mobilized a “full-scale medical evacuation-supported response” after the fire broke out.
In an initial statement, the government said that “the cabinet is being briefed and kept updated on a terrible fire at the dormitory in Mahdia.” Bad weather had complicated the early response, the statement added.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with our children and their families at this time,” the statement added.
The Mahdia Secondary School Dormitory, where the fire happened, is at the center of the Guyanese government’s efforts to improve the level of education in the less developed part of the country. In previous government statements, they describe the construction of the school college as an attempt to “bridge the gap between the hinterland and the coastal areas.”
This is a development story. It will be updated.
