The death toll from Tuesday’s fuel tanker explosion in Liberia has now risen to 52, with an additional 12 people succumbing to their injuries, according to Health Minister Dr. Wilhelmina Jallah. ECOWAS has expressed concerns about the accident and declared its readiness to support government initiatives investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.
As reported, the fuel tanker overturned along a road in Totota, approximately 130 km from the capital, Monrovia, and caught fire as people rushed to collect fuel.
A health official informed AfrikPage that some bodies were reduced to ashes, while Minister Jallah told the BBC that nearly 89 individuals being treated in the hospital are in critical condition.
The cause of the accident remains unclear, but videos depict a large number of people, including children, gathering around the overturned tanker, some attempting to collect fuel.
Liberia’s President George Weah expressed condolences to the victims’ families, stating that the images of the tragedy were “deeply disturbing.” Weah asserts he has provided his “full support” to health authorities to strengthen personnel and equipment in their frantic efforts to save lives.
Meanwhile, a group named Concerned Bong County Citizens has urged the president to declare a national day of mourning, providing the West African nation an opportunity to collectively mourn the loss of many compatriots.
In a subsequent statement dated December 29, 2023, ECOWAS extended condolences to the bereaved families and expressed solidarity with the government and people of Liberia. The Commission commended the government for the “proactive measures being taken” to ensure the swift recovery of the injured in this explosion in Liberia and pledged support for the “on-going measures by the Government to investigate the circumstances of the explosion with a view to preventing a recurrence of similar tragic incidents.”
Deadly explosion in Liberia: ECOWAS pledges support for investigations
