-President Weah declares Day of National Mourning
Today (Thursday) September 19, 2019 has been declared a day of National Mourning by the Liberian leader President George Manneh Weah, in a Proclamation released by the Executive Mansion Wednesday evening, while the European Union (EU) missions in Monrovia issued a joint statement consoling the Liberian nation on the tragedy.
“We are deeply saddened to have learnt of the tragic fire which occurred in the Bassa Town Quranic Recitation Center in the early hours of Wednesday in the Bassa Community in Paynesville in which at least 28 people, including many children, died,” the EU diplomatic missions said.
President Weah directed that the Liberian flag should be flown at half-mast in memory of the those who were burnt alive in the hostel of the Koranic school early Wednesday morning.
As two lucky young Koranic students, who survived the Wednesday’s deadly fire in the Bassa Community in Monrovia’s Paynesville suburb were being treated in hospital, nearly 30 of their colleagues with two of their teachers were buried.
After the Muslim funeral rites held at the 17th Street Mosque in the Sinkor suburb of Monrovia, the body of the victims, some as young as ten, were buried at the main Islamic graveyard in the Old Road neighbourhood.
So far the cause of the fire is not known as the National Police and Fire Service are investigating how the fire started.
The European Union (EU) Delegation and the Heads of Mission of France, Germany, Ireland and Sweden in Monrovia would like to issue the following statement:
The EU missions further said in their statement that “at this difficult time, we wish to express our deepest and most heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families, to the Islamic Community of Paynesville, and to the people of Liberia. We also wish a swift recovery to those who have been injured.”