By Alpha Abu
Survivors of the Wellington Fuel tanker vehicle explosion have received food supplies from the Sierra Leonean community-based in Australia. A small team representing the donors on Tuesday 4th January 2021 first went to Connaught, 34 Military and Rokupa Hospitals to distribute rice, cooking oil, purified water, tomato paste, tea, and sugar to people still admitted at the three health facilities, following the inferno that claimed over 150 lives.
The same exercise was extended to discharge victims at a special gathering at the Choithram Supermarket at Wellington close to the scene of the Saturday 6th November 2021 disaster. Over 70 people benefitted from the supplies.
The items donated which cost over 50 Million Leones were on behalf of the donors distributed to the beneficiaries by Dr. Ramaddan Dumbuya of Voice of Islam and Edmondson Sonny Cole of Journalists against Injustice for Good Governance.
Sonny Cole said it was not the first time Sierra Leoneans in Australia have reached out to compatriots' homes during moments of distress. He cited their swift response during the Ebola scourge and the Mudslide as a testament to their care and concern for their home country. He said the donation to the fire victims was just to demonstrate solidarity with people whose lives were torn apart on that fateful November night.
The tragic incident happened as people were scooping up leaking petrol from a tanker that was rammed into by a granite carrying truck. The explosion that followed sent huge fireballs that also engulfed people in vehicles stuck in the traffic and passers-by. The President of Sierra Leone Julius Maada Bio declared three days of national mourning, followed by a mass funeral service for over 80 victims. Subsequent days and weeks saw more deaths in various hospitals where the victims were admitted as they succumbed to the horrific burns.
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