PLEEBO, Maryland County – For Monica Collins, the painful reality came through a social media post.
She was on campus at St. Francis Catholic High School in Pleebo when she noticed people looking at her differently. A short while later, she discovered the shocking news — the house where she lived had caught fire.
By Peter P. Toe, Jr. Peterp.toe@frontpageafrica.com
“I don’t really know what happened. I don’t know where the fire came from because I had so many things in this place,” Collins said.
The fire, which occurred on June 11 in Zone 9, behind the First Assembly of God Church in Pleebo, destroyed two rooms of a house owned by Joseph S. Walker and left Collins and other occupants without their belongings.
Walker said he was away at the time of the incident, while his wife was also not at home. He explained that his daughter noticed something unusual before the fire spread.
“She saw that the light bulb in her room went off. She came outside to see what was happening, but she only saw smoke coming from the next room,” Walker explained.
He said his daughter tried to respond quickly by switching off the breaker and calling for help, but the fire had already intensified.
“Before people could come around, the room was already filled with fire,” Walker said.
Despite efforts by residents to put out the blaze, two rooms were completely destroyed.
“The two rooms were completely burnt to ashes. There was nothing taken from the rooms. Everything was destroyed by the fire,” Walker added.
For Collins, the loss goes beyond a damaged building. The fire took away the items she depended on as a student and her personal belongings.
“I had my mattress valued at US$500, my chair, my drawing board, all of my clothes, and other things. Every one of my clothes got burnt. Everything,” she said.
Standing among the remains of what was once her home, Collins struggled to hold back her emotions.
“The clothes I’m wearing belong to my sister. Now we sleep with friends. Our clothing, our properties, our shelter, including even our mattresses, have all burnt to ashes,” she cried.
The fire has forced the affected family members to look for temporary places to stay, with some sleeping outside and others depending on friends.
Walker said the situation has brought hardship to the family. “It brought so much embarrassment to us because the house I am living in is very small and all of us cannot fit there. Some are sleeping on the piazza, and some can sleep with friends’ houses,” he said.
As they begin the difficult process of recovery, both Walker and Collins are appealing for support. Collins said her immediate desire is to have a place to return to.
“For now, I just need people to help so that the owner can rebuild it and for me to come back in peace,” she appealed. Walker said he wants to rebuild the damaged house but needs financial support.
“An amount of about LD$20,000 can help us start something. It can start something, but it cannot complete the project,” he said.
As of the time of this report, LIBENERGY and the Liberian National Fire Service in Maryland County have not responded to the situation or provided any update regarding the incident.
The victims are calling on individuals, organizations, and authorities to support them as they work to rebuild their lives after the devastating fire.
