Is State House Latest Victim Of EDSA’s Power Surge?

Sierra Leone’s Chief Fire Officer, Nazir Ahmad Alie Kamanda Bongay, says preliminary investigations reveal that the severe fire outbreak at the Office of the President (State House) over the weekend was caused by electrical malfunctioning. Speaking to AYV, Minister of Information and Civic Education, Chernor Bah, says the government has been informed that the State House Fire, which started on the 3rd floor of the House and spilled over to the 4th floor, causing severe damage to the House, was a result of the malfunctioning of an electrical appliance. Many Sierra Leoneans have raised doubt over the alleged malfunction of an electrical appliance, especially as the incident took place over the weekend when government offices are closed, but are of the view that this important icon of the Seat of power suffered from the intermittent electricity supply and often power surge that has become the hallmark of EDSA’s distribution process. Many are calling on the President to ensure that thorough investigation is done to get to the root of this sad event, with the hope of putting an end to the numerous fire outbreaks that have plagued the nation. While efforts were underway to get to the root cause of the fire, another fire gutted a store in Waterloo, belonging to popular importer of TVS products (Kekeh and bikes), Shalimar. Are all these fires mere negligence on the part of the workers or owners of those businesses and homes? It is uncommon for the National Fire Force to openly associate fires to electricity malfunction, which could mean a lot of things, including power surge, but diplomatically played it safe. Sierra Leoneans are anxiously waiting for the ongoing investigation into the cause of the fire at State House and the action that the government will take. Kudos has been given to the multi- agency efforts to avert a big disaster to the nation and national pride.