TOTOTA, Bong County – As the death toll of victims from the fuel tanker explosion in Totota, Bong County, continues to rise, Liberians from all walks of life are streaming into the county to pay tribute to the deceased, express sympathy to the families, and, at times, provide donations to the victims’ relatives.
By Edwin G. Genoway, Jr (231886458910) – [email protected]
The explosion of the tanker on December 26, 2023, has claimed an estimated 70 lives, with 37 confirmed fatalities from medical facilities in Montserrado and Margibi counties.
Currently, 101 individuals with severe burns are admitted to the following hospitals in Montserrado, Margibi, and Bong counties: John F. Kennedy, 14th Military, St. Joseph Catholic, and Phebe. To date, six individuals have been discharged from Phebe Hospital in Bong.
As victims are being treated in various hospitals, humanitarian groups and ordinary citizens are contributing to the families of the victims. One such Liberian offering humanitarian aid is Mr. B. Abel Learweyllie.
Abel has expressed disappointment in the manner in which Liberians lost their lives in the county. He joins President-elect Joseph Nyumah Boakai in calling for an investigation and the implementation of preventive measures to avoid a recurrence. Abel emphasized the preciousness of every Liberian life and the need to protect them from such incidents in the future.
He made a donation of essential items and food to the family members of the victims in the tanker explosion in Bong County.
Abel, a development practitioner and peacebuilder, serves as the Founder and Executive Director at Camp for Peace Liberia and the Research and Documentation Officer at Lutheran Church in Liberia’s Trauma Healing and Reconciliation Program.
He stated, “The loss of one Liberian in any situation should capture the attention of all Liberians. It is against this backdrop that, as the head of Camp for Peace, I am making this small donation to sympathize with the people of Bong County and Liberia at large. We, from Camp for Peace, express our condolences for the deaths of our brothers and sisters.”
Making the donation over the weekend in the county, Abel mentioned, “My partner, Steelworkers Humanity Fund, was the one that made the funds available to purchase these items, and we are grateful and glad to be part of the process.”
Mr. Learweyllie urged the Liberia National Police to be proactive in their duties by securing every accident scene. The Bong County Disaster Management Team received the items on behalf of the victims in the county.