Two weeks after the devastating fires that engulfed the Double Day Hotel at Tuschen and the residence of its owner in Vergenoegen, authorities have yet to determine the exact causes of the blazes.

Chief Fire Officer Gregory Wickham confirmed to the Guyana Chronicle on Wednesday that both investigations remain active.

However, Wickham added that he is unable to provide further details at this stage, as both fire probes remain active.

Given the scale of destruction, volume of evidence and the sensitive nature of the scenes, the investigations are expected to take time.

The fires erupted on April 24, 2025—just hours after the lifeless body of 11-year-old Adriana Younge was found in the swimming pool at the hotel.

The child had been reported missing the day before, after a family outing at the facility. Her death sparked public outrage and calls for justice.

Later that same day, tensions boiled over as protestors stormed the hotel grounds, looted sections of the building, and blocked the main road with burning debris. Amid the chaos, a fire broke out inside one of the hotel rooms.

Shortly afterward, a second fire was reported at the owner’s home in Vergenoegen.

That property was also looted and completely gutted by flames, leaving only the structure’s outer walls intact.

While investigators from the Guyana Fire Service continue to assess both incidents, no conclusions have been made public.

The Guyana Police Force is also conducting parallel investigations into both the child’s death and the unrest that followed.

Adriana, a student of the Parika Salem Primary School, had recently completed the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA), and was eagerly awaiting her results, which are scheduled for release in June.

 (Read full story in tomorrow’s edition)