Accident in Sierra Leone: the president rushes back to the scene of the tragedy

At least 98 people were killed in a tanker explosion in Freetown, Sierra Leone on November 5, 2021. © via REUTERS - NATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT AGEAFP - SAIDU BAH

Text by: RFI Follow

2 min

Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio hastily returned from Glasgow and changed his agenda which was to lead him to Ghana, to the ECOWAS summit.

On the evening of Friday, November 5, a violent explosion of a tanker truck, after an accident, in the industrial zone, near Freetown, led to the death of at least 98 people and a hundred injured.

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Julius Maada Bio was at the scene of the tragedy this Sunday morning and called on his compatriots to learn the lessons of the explosion so that it does not happen "

 ever again

 " in Sierra Leone, comments collected by Kadiatou Diallo, from the drafting of RFI in Fulfulde.

We came here this morning to bring our support to the victims of this tragedy, those who have lost parents, property, and to learn about the causes of this fatal accident. I offer my condolences to all those who lost theirs in this fire. I ask everyone to obey the law to avoid problems. So far, there have been 100 deaths and another 100 people are bedridden in hospitals. I really thank the medical staff who did an exceptional job. They did everything, everything needed to save lives. The government of Sierra Leone calls on the police, military and medical personnel to make arrangements through the National Disaster Management Agency to properly care for the bodies so that they are buried in the best conditions.And I ask for everyone's support so that everything goes well. I know your sufferings and your sorrows. We all share them together. I ask everyone to join hands so that this does not happen again in our country. Never, never again in Sierra Leone.

 "

See also Sierra Leone: at least 98 people killed in the explosion of a tanker truck in Freetown

Today, I was deeply disturbed to see first hand the loss we have suffered as a country.

This is a difficult time for us all.

As we mourn our loss together, let us stay resolute and we will come out of this stronger than ever and ensure that this never happens again.

pic.twitter.com/qWcMx9iSz8

- President Julius Maada Bio (@PresidentBio) November 7, 2021

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  • Sierra Leone

  • Julius Maada Bio