Montserrado County’s district #4 Representative, Michael M. Thomas, has called on President Joseph N. Boakai to declare a three-day national mourning for the deceased of the fire incident that burned to death five persons beyond recognition.
“Distinguished elders, fellow residents, with teary-eyes after seeing eminent residents and future leaders of the next generation of this great country die and buried in such painful manner, we therefore seek the indulgence of the President of the Republic of Liberia to announce three days of mourning in electoral district #4, Montserrado County, beginning February 22, 2024 to Saturday February 25,2024 respectively—with all residents wearing a touch of black, thus symbolizing and expressing our deepest sympathy to the families for the demise of Jennifer S. Johnson-37, Pauline Myers- 26, Eleazar S. Zamerzar-16, Cecelia Fallah -11, and Alexandria Johnson 4, respectively,” Representative Thomas said, as tear rolled on his cheek during a press conference after the mass burial of the fire victims in Kakata.
On Wednesday morning, Montserrado County’s district #4’s residents woke up to a fire outbreak in the Cow-Field community adjacent Representative Thomas’ domicile. The Representative and immediate neighbors battled the fire from 12:00 a.m. to 4:00 a.m., with the hope that it was without fatality, but the story changed when day broke.
“Regrettably, hours after the fire was extinguished fellow residents, we discovered that an entire family of five persons could not find a means of getting out of their house and were burnt to death beyond recognition by the fire,” Representative Thomas said in a dirge tune.
During the incident, the Representative and others placed several calls to the relevant authorities to help quench the fire, but all efforts proved futile as the Liberia National Fire Service (LNFS) said all of the service’s fire trucks had broken down.
Family members and the electorate of the district have accused the Liberia National Fire Service of being responsible for the victims’ death because it is in a defunct state and not useful to the citizens.
Mourning sounds and the horrible scene still remain in the ears and minds of onlookers, family members and others who gazed at the deceased in their unrecognizable state.
In a humanitarian manner, Representative Thomas underwrote the cost of transporting the body along with family members, several citizens of the district to Kakata, Lewis Farm, where the internment took place.
Each of the corpses was buried in a grave, making it five graves. Before the internment, Representative Thomas made a sorrowful statement that caused tears to seep from the eyes of those that were in earshot, followed by a pastor, who exhorted the bereaved family with a teary eye.
But the lamentable part was when deceased Jennifer S. Johnson’s husband explained how he dowry his wife in April 2021 and this year April should have been their 3rd wedding anniversary, but unfortunately she is no more. He also said that his deceased daughter, Alexandria Johnson, was the only child he had since he knew himself as a man. Every eye turned misty when he revealed his ordeal.
Meanwhile, Representative Thomas has vowed to underwrite the cost of five cement tomb construction over the graves of the deceased, with their names written on them. He said a memorial service will be held in their honor, and will be in consultation with the family on this matter.
The Liberia Red Cross, Montserrado County Health Team and Dead Body Management played a pivotal role in the burial of the deceased, followed by Representative Samuel Enders of Montserrado County’s district #6, whose pickup transported the corpses.
