A fireman who responded to the May 22 blaze at the Armadale Juvenile Correctional Centre has revealed that no checks were made by himself or his colleagues to determine if the girls found inside the burnt-out dorm were alive.

Patrick Robinson, a district officer stationed at the St Ann's Bay Fire Station, said he believed anyone inside the building would have been dead by the time they got to them. He added that he did not expect to find anyone alive as fire was inside the building when they arrived.

Robinson said he received a call minutes to 9 on the night of the fire. However, because of the time it took to get to the institution, as well as the time it took to put out the blaze, the firemen did not think it necessary to check the girls. He also told the enquiry that they did not try to remove the bodies because they were motionless.

"We didn't remove the bodies because of the condition they were in. The bodies were stripped and hair pasted on their heads," said Robinson.

The fireman, who testified yesterday at the enquiry being held at the National Volunteer Centre on Camp Road, said he saw four girls bundled together in a corner of the dormitory. One of them had an outstretched hand with her palm towards her face. He said another ward was nearby, directly in line with one of the windows in the dorm.

Constable Albert Wisdom also testified on Day 25 of the enquiry, and admitted he did not count the tear-gas devices on May 23 when he went on duty at the Alexandria Police Station. He said, however, that he recorded eight devices present as there was no note to indicate that someone had taken one.

The enquiry resumes today with Children's Advocate Mary Clarke and fire investigator Fitzroy Rowe scheduled to testify.

kimesha.walters@gleanerjm.com