Margibi – A local moringa noleifera processing plant, a smoked sheet rubber storage facility and a generator house owned and operated by the Bright Rubber Plantation in Margibi County, Monday, February 24, evening was reportedly set ablaze by unknown persons. The fire left more than US$150,000 worth of properties destroyed, according to the owners.
The fire caused some substantial destruction to the multi-purpose building accommodating the moringa noleifera processing plant, the smoked sheet rubber storage and generators site.
John M. Tokpah, Administrator of the Bright Rubber Plantation, told reporters Wednesday, February 26, that two 25-KVA lister petter engine generators, one super-gari mail, one electrical drying oven, one slicer and 10 metric tons of processed rubber were all destroyed in the fire.
According to him, at about 10p.m. on Monday, February 24, the plantation’s security officers, while on guard at the main factory, said they heard a loud sound like the busting of tyres.
“They immediately rushed on the same only to see that the fire has taken over the entire building,” he narrated.
Mr. Tokpah said the building did not have electricity at the time as the two generators placed there, were completely off prior to the fire outbreak.
He clarified that there has not been any misunderstanding between the management and workers of the company. According to him, every problem that had existed before on the plantation, was allegedly resolved long since.
He explained that when the incident took place, men on the plantation exerted effort to extinguish the fire, but their efforts did not materialize.
He further stated that while the men were trying to quench the fire, they saw another fire in the plantation and this fire destroyed one acre of planted rubber trees.
The Bright Rubber Plantation’s administrator stated that this is the first time that the company has experienced fire accident of such magnitude, destroying huge worth of valuable properties. He lamented that the fire situation has now placed nearly 150 employees’ jobs at risk.
He at the same time revealed that his bosses are working behind the scene to ensure that the building is reconstructed after the investigation in a bid to have the 150 employees’ jobs secured. He did not, however, state when the investigation will be completed.
Mr. Tokpah has disclosed that the Bright Rubber Plantation’s Management has got the national security apparatus through the Liberia National Police (LNP) involved in order to establish the source of the fire.
He told reporters that since the launch of the full-scale investigation by the LNP, there has been no arrest made in relation to the Monday’s night fire accident.
He, however, craved the assistance of the Liberian Government in order to restore the facilities.