A massive fire engulfed the rotunda of Liberia’s Capitol on Wednesday morning, sending thick black smoke and flames billowing into the sky, shocking residents and raising urgent questions about the cause of the blaze.
The cause of the fire is still unknown, but the incident occurred just a day after a heated protest over the removal of the Speaker, Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa. The protest led to the arrest of several demonstrators, including an aide to former President George Weah.
Firefighters have successfully quelled most of today’s flames, but there are still intense pockets of fire further inside the building to locate and put out. There is also significant damage from the fire at the top level of the Capitol, closer to the dome and some of the walls have cracked due to the intense Heat of the fire.
No death has been reported, although at least one firefighter sustained an injury.
Some individuals who were on the scene when the fire took place were taken into police custody for questioning.
Authorities have restricted access to upper parts of the building, given reports of falling parts. Legislative staffers have been asked to stay away from the Capitol today.
Authorities have yet to provide any official statement regarding the cause or extent of the damage. However, investigations are expected to commence soon to determine the circumstances surrounding the blaze.
This fire comes amid a long-running row between two opposing groups within the House of Representatives — one calling itself the “Majority Bloc”, seeking to remove the Speaker, Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa. The Majority Bloc has gone as far as electing and installing a new speaker, without first removing Koffa through a process prescribed in the constitution.
This is a developing story, and updates will be provided as new information becomes available.
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Source link : https://allafrica.com/stories/202412180497.html
Author : editor@liberianobserver.com (Liberian Observer)
Publish date : 2024-12-18 14:45:16
