Liberia: Fire Chief Suspects Gasoline in Capitol Blaze, Calls for Weeklong Probe

Monrovia — The Director of the Liberia National Fire Service (LNFS), G. Warsuwah Barvoul Sr., has revealed that an initial assessment of the fire at the Capitol Building indicates it was a Class-B fire–a flammable fire caused by substances such as gasoline and chemicals.

On Wednesday, the William R. Tolbert Joint Chamber at the Capitol Building was engulfed by flames during the early morning hours.

Speaking at the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs, and Tourism’s regular press briefing on Thursday, Mr. Barvoul clarified that while no individuals have been identified as responsible for the incident, evidence from the smoke suggests it was not a typical fire but rather a flammable one.

“There are several classes of fire, but in Liberia, we generally discuss three,” Mr. Barvoul explained. “Class-A refers to combustible or common fires, which show yellow and red flames. We identify fires by their color.”

He continued: “Class-B fires, however, produce thick smoke with flames shooting through it. These are caused by flammable substances such as gasoline, chemicals, or grease. Based on our preliminary observations, we suspect the Capitol fire falls under this category.”

Despite these suspicions, the LNFS Director-General emphasized that a detailed investigation is ongoing and that the team will need a week to deliver preliminary findings on the cause of the fire.

Following the incident, the Inspector General of the Liberia National Police, Gregory O.W. Coleman, described the fire as an act of arson aimed at inciting individuals against the government. He identified Montserrado County District #9 Representative Frank Saah Foko and others as key suspects based on prior statements they made.

Representative Foko was subsequently invited by the Liberia National Police (LNP) for questioning. After several hours, he was released.

“I understand that every citizen is eager to know what happened at the Capitol Building,” said Mr. Barvoul at the briefing. “Investigating fires involves many steps. You may find one clue today and another tomorrow. We are urging the investigation team to provide an initial report within a week. We want the findings to be factual and thorough. I do not wish to utcome.”

The LNFS Director-General assured the public that the investigation would be conducted meticulously to uncover the truth behind the fire that has raised significant concerns nationwide.

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