Nearly a month after the tragic oxygen explosion at the Mira Gas Company along the Japanese freeway, the Liberia National Fire Service (LNFS), the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have provided differing accounts regarding the results of the investigation and the reported fatalities. Speaking on behalf of the LNFS, Communications Head Jackie M.Q. Sia stated that the investigation is still ongoing. She reported a total of three deaths, with fifteen individuals still receiving treatment and five others discharged.
Sia emphasized the challenge faced by the LNFS, noting that they lack the proper equipment to conduct a thorough forensic investigation. “Our investigators don’t have the equipment to carry out the investigation,” she said. “Our personnel depend on experience rather than forensic equipment or a lab to determine the cause of the fire; they are conducting the investigation manually.”
In response to inquiries from journalists, Archivego Doe, the Director of Communication for the NDMA and a key participant in the investigation, stated that a forensic investigation was conducted at the EPA’s lab and has now concluded. According to his report, only two deaths have been confirmed, while nineteen individuals have been discharged, contradicting the previous report from the LNFS which indicated three deaths and fifteen individuals still undergoing treatment at John F. Kennedy Hospital.
Doe added that the investigation report had been finalized and sent to the Ministry of Justice. He also mentioned that senior management had convened and decided to resume operations of the Mira Gas Company, as they had committed to fulfilling their obligations to support the victims affected by the explosion.
The head of communications at the EPA mentioned that she could not comment on the matter, as she had recently returned to the agency and needed to catch up on the situation. The Mira Gas explosion in September resulted in several injuries among Liberians. As more than a month has passed, the public remains eager to understand the cause of the explosion and what actions the Liberian government is taking to hold those responsible accountable. The circumstances surrounding the negligence that led to this tragedy still remain unclear, leaving families to cope with the loss of loved ones.
By Joseph Sirleaf, Contributing Writer
