By Garmah Lomoh|contributor
Five persons have died and one critically wounded after an early Friday June 26 2020 that collapsed a concrete fence in the Monrovia’s suburb of sinkor.
Liberia Public Radio reporter who visited the scene quoted eyewitnesses as saying that the Incident took place during the early morning hours of Friday at about 3am in the Morning while residents of the 18th Street Community were at sleep, killing four adults and a child.
Our reporter gathered that the Back of the fence where the incident took place was filled with water and the fence could not hold the weight of the water and it was released on the House that led to the tragic Incident.
The fence was not built with pillars for protection and was undermined by water, our reporter added.
Residents were seen putting out the materials and belongs to clean their various houses because of the Flood.
Victims of the tragic incident include a child ,two men , three women and one person who was Seriously Wounded seeking medical treatment and attention at the John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital in Monrovia.
How did the wall fall?
Lincoln B.Kollie a resident of 18 Street Community and a Victim told LPR “it was raining heavily; my family and I were at sleep when I Heard the heavy sound of something falling on the other house. when I came out to find out my House way was filled with water and I couldn’t even get out easily” , he explains.
“I’m appealing to the Liberian Government and International Community or humanitarian Organizations to come to my aid and relocate my family and I because I can’t live in this Community no longer”, he further appeals.
Kollie disclosed that three of the five Persons that got killed were his closed relatives and he is saddened over their untimely demise.
Another Community Dweller Madam Etter Young said: “I want those Responsible for this ungodly act to come and take full responsibility of burying the dead and relocating those whose houses damaged or renovating them”, she adds.
“This should serve as a caveat to those responsible for this act or else we will take the streets of Monrovia to Protest against them” “Since 3am this morning I been working cleaning my house and other areas in the Community were bricks from the fence felt.
MCC calls for help to victims
At the scene of the incident, Monrovia City Mayor Jefferson Koijee described the incident as tragic and expressed sympathy with the bereaved Families over their lost.
Mayor Koijee Told a team of Journalists that a Permanent intervention is needed to relocate some residents and even help the bereaved Families to bury their loved ones.
“The situation is very saddened to admit and this Government will timely intervene”, said Mayor Koijie.
National Disaster Management Agency
For his Part the Executive Director of the National Disaster Management Agency, Henry O. Williams said President George Weah and the Liberian Government is concerned about the situation and others disasters that took place during the rainy season.
“I want to firstly extend my Deepest condolences to those who lost the family and Love ones, the Liberian government and us are working on plans to intervene .
“We from the National Disaster Management Agency responsible for disaster management are very sorry”, he told the residents.
He disclosed, “the situation is very serious because we are in the Coronavirus Pandemic Period in Liberia and the Government is putting mechanism into to help”.
Environmentalist have warned that the constant construction of building without proper zoning is dangerous for citizens in places like slum communities in Monrovia where structures blocking drainages.
