Liberia: Fire Ravages Ex-President Weah's Residence

Liberian Investigator
The Acting Chairman of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), Janga Kowo, speaking at the scene, said the fire reportedly began in the former president’s bedroom. “We’re trying to understand what happened because this is very concerning. We’re talking about the bedroom of the former president,” he said. According to him, the destruction inside the residence was "massive".
24 September 2025
Liberian Observer (Monrovia)
By Emery Watson

A late-night fire broke out on Wednesday, September 24, at the 9th Street residence of former Liberian President George Manneh Weah, destroying parts of the property and sparking swift intervention from neighbors, community members, and the Liberia National Fire Service.

Confirming the incident to journalists, Janga Kowo, Acting Chairperson of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), described the fire as "very concerning." He said the party is seeking clarity on what transpired.

"We were notified of a fire incident in the bedroom of His Excellency former President Weah. This is very concerning, and we are trying to preliminarily understand exactly what happened," Kowo stated. He assured the public that Weah was safe.

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Asked about preliminary findings from the Liberia National Fire Service, Kowo said he had not yet spoken to authorities. "We will get back to the press later," he added.

An eyewitness who spoke to OKAY FM recounted how he and his brothers first noticed smoke at around 11:30 p.m.

"I smelled burning rubber and thought it was from the mechanic shop nearby. But when I looked toward the former president's house, I saw smoke coming from the rooftop," he explained.

According to him, security guards stationed around the property appeared unaware of the danger until alerted by neighbors. Within minutes, community members gathered to assist, carrying buckets of water and sand from the nearby beach to battle the flames.

However, the eyewitness noted that the first fire truck to arrive at 12:11 a.m. was unable to pump water, prompting the dispatch of a second truck that successfully engaged the blaze.

"The former president himself called out to us saying, 'My children, y'all come help me.' That's when people rushed in to support the firefighters," the witness added.

The incident drew several high-profile political figures, including former Speaker Fonati Koffa, ex-Minister of State now Margibi County Senator Nathaniel McGill, former Montserrado County District 8 Representative Acarous Gray, and former Foreign Minister Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah, who all arrived at the scene as efforts to contain the fire intensified.

The fire came just two days after former President Weah returned to Liberia from an international trip, where he was received by a jubilant crowd at Roberts International Airport. During his return address, Weah vowed to lead the rebuilding of his party's demolished headquarters and called on Liberians to uphold peace.

Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause and full extent of the damage. No casualties or injuries were reported, and only security personnel were present at the time of the incident.

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