PAYNESVILLE, Montserrado – On Friday, November 23, fire gutted two warehouses along with three bedrooms at the Coal Field community in Paynesville, destroying goods belonging to petty traders worth L$3 million (US$19,354).

At about 9:00 pm in the evening, news spread that fire has gutted the warehouses, which contained non-perishable goods owned by petty traders in the community.

Paynesville has no fire service station and the news of the fire drew scores of people ran to the area to observe and help by scooping water in buckets to throw at the flames. One trader who stores her goods in one of the warehouses fainted when she arrived on the scene and saw the fire. She reportedly had L$70,000 (US$452) in used clothing stored in the warehouse. Many others stood nearby as they wept.

The owner of one of the warehouses, Cross K. Ibe, said he was shocked by the incident and suggested that it was the work of an arsonist.

Ibe said he works at the Liberia Marketing Association’s Paynesville branch as a task force commander. Recently promoted to the position, Ibe accused Augustine Koffa, who previously held the position, of issuing threats to burn his warehouse.

He explained that at about 9:00 p.m. last Friday while visiting a friend, some petty traders informed him that his warehouse was on fire.

Cross K. Ibe, Owner, one of the owners of the burned warehouses. Photo: Zeze Ballah

“If Koffa wanted to destroy me, he should have killed me, [instead of] damaging goods belonging to over 42 struggling petty traders,” the warehouse owner said.

Ibe said Koffa is currently on the run after the matter was reported to the Liberia National Police in the area.

The owner of the other warehouse was not immediately available for comments but Ibe put the cost of the goods destroyed by the fire at L$3 million.

“I also lost several valuables worth over US$35,000,” he added.

The site of the burned warehouses. Photo: Zeze Ballah

“Most of the petty traders are yet to get over the situation,” he said, noting that the dismal state of the economy would make the impact of the fire greater. “It is going to take a long time before the petty traders can fully recover from this trauma.”

“I have lost everything and I’m currently sheltering with friends,” he added.

Eyewitnesses who spoke to The Bush Chicken said during the fire outbreak, looters rushed in to steal goods from both warehouses.

Featured photo by Zeze Ballah