By Nazima Raghubir
Samantha Roach could barely speak, sitting outside her Breda Street home surrounded by relatives and friends, she is trying to come to grips with the death of her six-year-old daughter Soraya Bourne. Bourne was killed on Sunday night following an explosion at the Mobil Gas Station on Regent and King Streets in Georgetown. Bourne was among the occupants of a car driven by her aunt 27-year-old Jenica Hooper, grandmother Yvonne Jonas and 12-year old Seddia McIntosh and 7-year old Reshard Lord.
“My child didn’t deserve a death like that,” Roach told the media on Monday morning, “her eyes were bulging out her head, her head all burst,” the tearful mother said. Roach is calling on the police to find the alleged culprits, “I need justice, that is all I am asking for, my daughter is only six, she is all excited for her birthday,” the woman said. The Guyana Police Force on Monday morning said that it is looking for an individual seen depositing a black plastic bag in the compound of the gas station. It is around this spot, the explosion took place.
Ashana Cains, another relative, explained that two of the other children underwent surgery. She said too, that the adults were recuperating. Recalling the events on Sunday, Cains explained that the group was on their way for their usual Sunday treat. This included purchasing fried chicken from the KFC outlet in the same compound when the gas station. “We could have lost our entire family, they went to just buy some chicken,” Cains said, “We are not safe in this country, we not safe,” she declared.
Georgetown Public Hospital in a statement said that it treated eight persons who suffered from injuries related to the explosion, “Three (3) were treated for minor injuries and subsequently discharged after evaluation,” GPHC said while four (4) patients were admitted. These included two paediatric patients with “significant injuries” and two adult female patients for observation. The hospital said too that the two paediatric patients with serious injuries underwent emergency surgical procedures and are “currently in the recovery room under close observation” adding that both patients are critical but stable The two adult patients, both females, sustained multiple soft tissue injuries to the face, head, neck and thigh with one suffering a fracture to the leg according to GPHC.
On Monday morning, a forensic team was working at the scene. The area around the gas station has been cordoned off. The police maintain a presence in the area as the investigation continues.
Andre McRae’s car remains an active part of the crime scene. McRae was in the compound of the gas station at the time. McRae, a taxi driver, said that he saw the explosion, “everybody run away,” the man said, “a man give me an extinguisher and I used that to get the fire out”. McRae said he was also integral in getting the injured persons from the other car. Recounting the harrowing details, McRae recalled lifting the injured children from the car.
Several businesses close to the gas station had damaged windows. Several persons were seen cleaning shards from some businesses in the areas. While some businesses were opened, some closer to the gas station and within the police cordon were closed for business.
On Monday, the Home Affairs Ministry said that an advance team from the Guyana Forensic Science Laboratory supported by two Indian forensic scientists continue to work on investigating the site. Additionally, the Guyana Police Force said it is looking for a male of mixed ethnicity who is believed to be a Spanish speaking foreign national.