This archive report was first published on 19 September 2019.
On September 18, 2019, a devastating fire swept through a Koranic school in Paynesville, Liberia, killing at least 26 pupils and 2 teachers.
According to police spokesman Moses Carter, the boys were sleeping at the school when the overnight fire began, with an electrical fault possibly being the cause.
President George Weah visited the site and expressed his condolences to the families of the victims, saying, "We are here to encourage parents of the victims to have strength, because it is painful to lose your kids in this manner."
The president's office confirmed that 26 pupils between the ages of 10 and 20 died along with 2 teachers, while police spokesman Moses Carter stated that 27 students had been killed.
Neighboring Guinea's President Alpha Conde expressed his condolences to the Liberian people and the Guinean community in Liberia, saying, "We extend our sympathy to the bereaved families. We don't know the cause of the fire yet, but we will encourage our investigators to find how it happened."
Rescuers carried the children's bodies in bags from the burnt-out building as crowds of people and relatives pressed together outside.
