Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio on Sunday declared three days of national mourning from Monday to Wednesday for lives lost in a fuel tanker explosion.
Gatekeepers News reports that the explosion occurred late on Friday after a vehicle collided with a tanker in Wellington, a suburb just to the east of Freetown. The death rose to 108 while about 92 others were seriously injured.
Victims of the deadly incident were mostly street vendors and motorcyclists who tried to scoop up the leaking fuel before it ignited.
Bio visited hospitals where the injured victims were being treated and assured that a presidential task force will be set up in the coming days to carry out a thorough investigation on the accident.
“We must learn from this unfortunate incident,” he said, “I have cut short my overseas trip to see the dead and meet survivors of the fuel tanker explosion.”
The President said he was devastated by the huge loss of lives of his compatriots.
