AYV News, April 16, 2025
Sierra Leone’s Chief Fire Officer, Nazir Ahmad Alie Kamanda Bongay, said preliminary investigations have revealed that the severe fire outbreak at the Office of the President (State House) over the weekend was an electrical fire.
He said this was an electrical fire from appliances that might have been in use on the 3rd floor of the building before the fire outbreak.
Mr. Bongay revealed that when the firefighters entered the building to do the assessment, they noticed some electrical sockets and switches were left on. They also saw electrical extensions of very low standards and quality plugged and left turned on in some of the offices.
He said the firefighters saw some poorly wired cabling systems in some of the offices and noticed that some air conditioners were left turned on in some of the offices.
He confirmed that some offices on the 3rd floor in the Central Part of the West Wing of the building were completely burnt down, with some partially burnt, while on the 4th floor, only 2 offices were completely burnt down.
Earlier, Vice President Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh conducted an on-site inspection of the recent fire incident at the State House, where he received a detailed briefing from the Chief Fire Officer and key personnel on the emergency response measures undertaken and a preliminary assessment of the damage.
He inspected the third and fourth floors of the building, where the damage is most severe, and also visited the Office of the President on the second floor.
Following the inspection, the Vice President convened a high-level Interagency Response Team. This team comprises representatives from various critical sectors, including law enforcement agencies, engineering experts, the Ministry of Works and Public Assets, the Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority (EDSA), and other relevant institutions.
The newly formed Response Team has been tasked with the crucial responsibilities of:
• Conducting a comprehensive investigation into the cause of the fire.
• Assessing the full extent of infrastructural and operational damage.
• Developing clear and actionable recommendations for recovery and restoration.
The Vice President will chair daily situation briefings with the Response Team, underscoring the government’s commitment to a swift and effective response. An initial report from the team is expected within one week.
Speaking to the media, concerned citizens emphasised the need for accountability and preventive measures: “This is a matter of national importance. We must understand what happened, why it happened, and how it can be prevented in the future. We are calling for a thorough investigation and forensic audit to determine the root cause and ensure such an incident does not recur.”
Though no casualties have been reported, the incident has raised concerns about fire safety measures in critical government infrastructure, the government has assured the public that it will continue to provide timely updates as the situation unfolds and the recovery efforts progress.
