Liberia Grieves Over 27 Deaths

Yesterday was a tragic scene, when fire gutted an Islamic School known as Quranic Memorization Center, killing 26 students and one instructor in an area known as Bassa Town near the Redlight Market in Paynesville.
This sad incident occurred during the late hour of Tuesday, precisely 11:40 p.m, when said students had gone to memorize their holy Quran while some of them had to sleep due to their parents’ inability to pick them up after study.
The disaster which created panic amongst citizens in the red-light vicinity brought together array of government officials including District #5 Representative, Thomas P. Fallah, Internal Affairs Minister, Varney Sirleaf and the President of the Republic of Liberia, George M. Weah.
Identifying with the parents at the scene, President Weah expressed his deepest condolences to the bereaved families, stating that his government regrets the action and was in sympathy with them.
He added that his government through the necessary authorities will do everything possible to investigate the matter in order to establish the cause of the fire, while assuring to rehabilitate the damaged facility.
The Liberian leader then urged every Muslim community to continue the teaching of the Holy Quran in every Islamic institution, stressing that these things happen and that the problem should not discourage them for doing what is best for their kids.
For his part, the National Disaster Management Executive Director, Henry O. Williams confirmed 27 dead. He said out of the 27, 26 were students ranging from ages 10 to 20 years including a teacher, which he said all were males who died.
According to the NDM Director, during the fire outbreak, two persons were fortunate to escape the fire incident and are now in hospital receiving medical treatment but could not state what really caused the fire outbreak.
The NDM Director added that the government through the NDM are putting every mechanism in place and said they will be holding a high level meeting with stakeholders in the country at the headquarter of the NDM to discuss the way forward in order to put smiles on the faces of the bereaved family.
“When an issue like this happens, the recovery face takes place, where the building needs to be rehabilitated and also if we will have some humanitarians of the families of the deceased, as we all know, the NDM is very concerned and this is one of our major disasters in the country,” Director William alluded.
He then pledged the NDM’s fullest support in working with other international partners to ensure some serious recovery activities in order to bring relief to the deceased families, while at the same time promised to work with an agency like the LEC and others to establish the cause of the fire.
Some deceased parents who spoke to this paper in tears expressed their regret and pain, mentioning that the incident is a total setback and frustration, like the woman who lost her four children in the fire and said, “I am totally confused to see all my four children die in pain, which I have nothing left to send, play or even go to Mosque to pray”.
Meanwhile, the 26 students and one teacher who perished in the fire outbreak had been buried in keeping with the Islamic belief.
The interment which took place at the Old Road Muslim Grave Yard in Gaye Town yesterday was well attended with some members of the ECOWAS delegation in Liberia, Nimba County Senator, Price Johnson, Bomi County District #1 Representative, Edwin M. Snowe and array of government officials including President George M. Weah were all seen paying tributes to the deceaseds.
Speaking during the burial, the Grand Mufti of Liberia, Sheikh Abubakar Sumaworo said that what had happened is the will of God and will be in their favor, adding that during the time Prophet Mohammed passed away, and the second year of the leadership of Abubaka, 70 of the member who memorized the Quran died in one day and said yesterday reminded him of the past history.
According to Sheikh Sumaworo, yesterday’s incident has encouraged them to continue and increase their speed towards the teaching of the Holy Quran, which he said the President had encouraged them not to be discouraged or frustrated to stop teaching their kids the Holy Quran.
He then lauded President Weah for identifying with them during their time of bereavement, pointing out that the President has already bought them, which he said the President had his guests in the country and other activities to attend to but left all and spent the day with them from the place of the incident, to the Mosque where they offered prayer for the deceaseds.