Friday morning’s tragic death by fire of two brothers at the state-run Drop-In Centre on Hadfield Street is a stark reminder of the dire circumstances of a prominent number of families and the state’s obligation to assist them. The two brothers were among five siblings who were rescued from what were deemed to be unacceptable circumstances and discussions were to ensue on the fateful day with family members on whether they could take the children and commit to keeping them in wholesome surroundings. All of that was brutally undone by the fire and the two boys perished horrifically in the place that was meant to provide them with safety.
As deeply shocking as the fire must have been to the Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA), it must now work assiduously to improve the circumstances of this family and provide counselling to the surviving siblings. The head of the household must be given a chance to take charge of the welfare of her surviving children. In the myriad programmes that the government is running to improve the conditions of citizens there must be room for the mother of these children to have a chance of overcoming the tragedy that engulfed her family. The other children rescued from the building must also have access to counselling and efforts sped up to restore them to familiar surroundings.
The CCPA continues to grapple with what is the challenging task of looking after children who have been rescued from broken homes, abuse and difficult circumstances. It must be commended for the work it has been doing. While there will always be cases where things could have been done better, the CCPA is responding to an area where there is serious need which major parts of society don’t see or care to see.
Last Friday’s tragedy requires a methodical examination of the manner in which the CCPA’s drop-in centre functioned and its response to the fire. There were only two staff members to 29 children. This is not an acceptable ratio and this would have been evident in the upheaval when the fire began. There would customarily be three staffers present and the number of children at the centre would usually be smaller. There must be rigorous protocols for the drop-in centre in terms of staff to children ratio. There must also be unfailing adherence to safety rules particularly as it relates to fires. Did the centre have adequate fire-fighting and suppression systems? When last was it inspected by the fire service? Were the two staffers present exposed to fire drills?
Was the cause of the 2010 fire which destroyed the upper floor of the same building ever determined? What steps were taken as a result of that blaze to improve fire safety particularly since the building would always be occupied by mostly children and a fair number of them at any given time? There must be a full and thorough investigation of what caused this fire. The Fire Chief, Marlon Gentle has already signalled that he will be involving the Government’s Chief Electrical Inspector in the probe.
There are two other matters which the government should take a keen interest in. The innumerable fires that have raged over the years often list sudden surges in power, the restoration of power after blackouts or sparking wires as the proximate or believed causes of fires. There have been incalculable losses over the years to the state and private citizens. The time has arrived for a considered examination of how unstable power supply and faulty wiring of premises are leading to these conflagrations. Standards must be defined for the quality of supply from GPL and the means established to assess these. There should also be clear guidelines for safe wiring of buildings and mandatory and regular inspections particularly of state premises.
Lastly, this fire is the second fatal disaster at state-run institutions within months. The first being at the Camp Street prison where 17 inmates perished. Liability aside, it behoves the government and its line ministers and agencies to begin a careful examination of fire safety standards at prisons, retirement homes, orphanages and half-way homes as these are more predisposed to such threats for a variety of reasons. The rights of the bereaved families in each of these cases must be fully recognised and the State must live up to all of its obligations.
