Guyana: Massive blaze devastates Kwakwani Secondary School in Pathville, Upper Berbice River

Fire completely destroys the school building as investigations into the cause continue.

25th of August 2025

Guyana: A large fire destroyed the Kwakwani Secondary School in Pathville, Kwakwani, in the Upper Berbice River of Guyana on Sunday August 24, 2025. The circumstances that might have set it off are still unknown while the police continue investigating it.

The school was a single story concrete structure. It was 30 feet wide and 100 feet long. The fire which broke out completely destroyed the building in spite of the efforts to put it out.

A police corporal from Mackenzie Police Station said he was at the Kwakwani Ballfield around 3:40 am to attend the annual Fair of Kwakwani Village, when he saw flames in the Pathville area. He immediately called the local police station, which alerted the auxiliary staff.

A fire pick-up vehicle responded and managed to extinguish the fire, but the school was already ruined by that time. The vehicle was driven by Julian Martin and assisted by Jishan Martin, who immediately went into action as soon as they arrived at the scene.

Reports suggest that the area had frequent power outages on the night of the fire. The school’s power supply came from Kwakwani Utility Inc.

The school was secured by Home safe Security Service. At the time of the fire, a guard was on duty, making checks round the compound. He reported that he saw smoke coming out of the headmistress’s office which is in the south west part of the building. He then called his supervisor Elizabeth Samuels, to report the fire.

Following the fall of the old structure, the government has promised to reconstruct the school quickly. Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, said that under the PPP/C government which is headed by President Irfaan Ali, the school will rise from the ruins very soon.

The investigation on the cause of the fire is still ongoing while the locals are expressing their worry on social media. One of them said, “If someone lights that fire. I honestly want to know what the are gaining or gaining from that.”