On a fateful Monday afternoon in Monrovia, Liberia, a devastating explosion ripped through the Mira Oxygen and Gas Factory, located along the Japan Freeway. The incident, occurring shortly after 3:45 PM, sent shockwaves through the surrounding community and left at least sixteen workers injured, some critically. The immediate aftermath was chaotic, with neighbors and first responders rushing to the scene to aid the victims. The injured were swiftly transported to nearby medical facilities, including John F. Kennedy Medical Hospital and Ma-Hawa Medical Laboratory, where they received urgent medical attention. Among the injured were Willie Kangba, Nathaniel Wilson, Sylvester Tokpah, Chris Brown, Bill Gaye, and two foreign nationals, Adam from Syria and Abram from Lebanon. The severity of the blast also left a female security officer, Regina, with severe injuries and another worker, Melvin, reportedly blind.
Adolphus Togbah, the sole witness available to provide an account of the event, recounted a chilling narrative. According to Togbah, the explosion occurred when Melvin, a Black manager who had been dismissed earlier that day, attempted to reconnect a pipe to a tanker. This attempt tragically failed, causing a gas leak that ignited in a powerful explosion. Togbah vividly described the chaotic scene as he narrowly escaped the engulfing flames, witnessing Regina being burned at the factory gate. Disturbingly, this was not the first such incident at a Mira Oxygen and Gas Factory. Togbah revealed that two previous explosions had occurred, one in 2019 at a different factory location and another in 2021, which also injured Melvin. These recurring incidents have raised serious concerns and prompted calls for improved safety measures and immune treatment for the factory workers.
The Mira Oxygen and Gas Factory employs thirty-six contract workers, all of whom receive monthly wages, often below the minimum wage standard. At the time of the explosion, nearly all the workers, except for one individual named Jackson, were present. Eighteen workers were reportedly rushed to hospitals following the blast, but the whereabouts of several others remained unknown in the immediate aftermath, fueling anxiety and speculation among their colleagues and families. The explosion’s impact extended beyond the factory walls, deeply affecting the surrounding community. Residents, alarmed by the scale of the disaster, demanded immediate access to the blast site, fearing that bodies might be missing or unaccounted for.
The lack of confirmed fatalities, given the magnitude of the explosion and the number of workers present, fueled suspicion among residents like Korpo Freeman, who insisted on witnessing the aftermath firsthand. Authorities, including Representative Edward P. Flomo of Montserrado County District #13, appealed for calm and urged residents to cooperate with security forces who had barricaded the area for safety reasons. The Liberia National Police and the Environmental Protection Agency’s Inspectorate Division worked to secure the site and prevent unauthorized entry. EPA Inspector General Baiyezinah Brown emphasized the inherent dangers of the blast site and announced the commencement of an immediate investigation into the cause of the explosion. Brown’s statement, while intended to reassure the public, inadvertently heightened suspicions among community members who feared a potential cover-up regarding the true extent of the casualties.
The immediate aftermath of the explosion was shrouded in uncertainty. The exact number of casualties remained unverified, with conflicting reports and a lack of official information contributing to the growing anxiety. News outlets struggled to independently confirm the number of injured or deceased at various hospitals, as this information was not readily forthcoming. This lack of transparency further fueled speculation and distrust among the community and left the victims’ families in agonizing suspense. The investigation into the explosion promised to uncover the underlying causes of the tragedy and hopefully shed light on the true extent of the damage, both human and material.
The Mira Oxygen and Gas Factory explosion underscored the precarious working conditions faced by many in Liberia’s industrial sector. The repeated incidents at the factory, coupled with allegations of low wages and inadequate safety measures, pointed to a systemic problem. The incident also highlighted the critical need for transparency and accountability in the aftermath of such disasters. The delayed release of information about casualties and the restricted access to the blast site served to erode public trust and fueled speculation about the true extent of the tragedy. The investigation into the explosion will undoubtedly face pressure to address these concerns and provide answers to a community grappling with grief, fear, and a growing sense of injustice.
