In the late hours of Friday 5th November 2021, a loaded fuel tanker exploded in a suburb of Freetown, capital city of Sierra Leone, following collision with a truck. At least 101 people were killed and 91 were injured. Many surviving victims have suffered full-body, third-degree burns and will need significant medical care for months to come. Numerous families abruptly lost their primary source of income, and struggle to cover basic living expenses as well as medical expenses going forward.

Your donation will contribute to support packages for affected families, to help them cover immediate needs, shoulder medical expenses, and provide long-term care. The funds will be administered by the Sierra Leone Medical and Dental Association with the support of the Freetown City Council, to ensure they go directly to where they are most needed.

Together, we can support the victims in their hour of need.

What happened:

The accident occurred when a loaded fuel tanker collided with a truck at a busy junction in the densely populated Eastern suburb of Wellington. Fuel spilled and subsequently ignited, submerging bystanders and vehicles in the dense traffic at the junction. At least 101 people died in the flames; shops and market stalls close-by were caught up in the fire. Surviving victims were brought to hospitals and clinics across Freetown. Emergency response teams are working to ensure health facilities and medical personnel have the resources and supplies they need to assist the injured.

Many families not only lost their loved ones, but were also suddenly deprived from their primary source of income. Relatives of surviving victims will face heavy medical expenses, and will need to provide adequate care once their injured family members return home from hospitals. Many of these families lack the necessary support systems both in the short term and to shoulder the costs associated with such care going forward.

What your funding will provide for:

Your donation will be used to provide support packages to the families of those affected. For the families of the injured, support packages will include the medical supplies necessary for them to care for the victims in the months to come, including painkillers, paraffin gauze, antibiotics, silva, and other consumables as needed. For bereaved families, support packages will help to offset the costs of funerals. Given that most families suddenly lost an essential source of income, packages will also provide a basic stipend to help cover living expenses during this difficult time.

The fund will be administered by the Sierra Leone Medical and Dental Association, supported by the Freetown City Council. The Sierra Leone Medical and Dental Association is the umbrella body for medical professionals across the country - to learn more about their work, please visit https://mdc-sl.org/. The Freetown City Council is the municipal government of the City of Freetown - to learn more about their work, please visit https://fcc.gov.sl/.