Residents of the Coal Tarr Field Community in Paynesville, District # 6 Montserrado County woke up yesterday morning to the reported death news of eight persons including a recent female graduate of the 101 graduating class of the University of Liberia.
According to reports gathered from concerned neighbors, the deceased who were all occupants of the first floor of a two-storey building did not wake up soon as usual yesterday morning after celebrating the graduation of Nancy Miller, who along with other people allegedly died due to the reported inhaling of carbon monoxide from an unattended generator used in their home.
Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless flammable gas that is slightly less dense than air and is usually released from generators.
According to some residents, Miss Miller’s graduation party ended around 10: P.M. when all of the musical sets were packed, but it was observed that the generator remained on up to 10 A.M. thereby drawing the attention of the neighbors especially when nobody was seen leaving that residence.
The neighbors were also suspicious because usually, those in the house who were considered as early birds were not seen outside and the house seemed exceptionally quiet.
Upon entering the house, some of the bodies were discovered in the living room while others were seen on the floor in front of the bathroom and in the other rooms; but the cause of their deaths was not immediately established.
The bodies of the 8 being removed from the house
Though many persons are still shocked over the deaths of the eight family members especially after a joyous event, some believe that they might have died of the generator smoke while others had the view that it might have been as a result of food-poisoning.
Police, along with a medical team arrived on the scene and took the bodies away for proper examination to ascertain the cause of their deaths.
Some neighbors and eyewitnesses who were on the scene during the removal of the lifeless bodies said that they saw vomits on the floor near the bath room as well as foams, blood oozing from the nostrils of the deceased while some had already involuntarily ‘attended to nature’.
Many people wondered why the generator had to be carried into the building when in fact, there was a generator room with an iron gate provided for its safety.
Meanwhile the Executive Director for the Disaster Management Agency (NDMA), Henry O. Williams who visited the disaster scene yesterday expressed sympathy to the bereaved families in the community and said that Government is indeed concerned about the untimely death of its citizens.
Mr. Williams disclosed that government is working with its international partners to do all they can to identify with the bereaved families.
He however warned every citizens to be very careful when it comes to the issue of electricity because if electrical appliances are not handled with care, there is the likelihood of experiencing disaster.
Those who were affected as the result of the incident are, Nancy Miller, the graduate; her mother who came from Ganta Nimba County for the graduation ceremony; Korwu Miller, daughter of the graduate and Favor Johnson as well as Saba Johnson including one Varney and others.