The day after Christmas in 2023, Annie Vuku — a wife and mother from Totota, Liberia — went into town in search of opportunity. She had heard a new night school was opening, and she wanted to ask for information about enrolling.
As she waited outside the school, a fuel tanker overturned down the street. Dozens of people rushed toward the crash to watch. Some even tried to collect fuel in containers to take home. But Annie stayed where she was, a safe distance from the crash, waiting to learn how she could build a better future for her family.
Fuel tanker explodes in Liberia
Then the unthinkable happened. The tanker exploded, killing 89 people and badly burning nearly 100 more. (Although these were the official numbers, our local partners onsite report even higher casualties.)
Annie recalls, “After the explosion, people started to run for their lives. Unfortunately, a gentleman who was on fire ran into us, where we were seated. This is how I caught on fire myself. My lappa [traditional wrap] started to burn and before I knew it, I was on fire.”
Annie Vuku still experiences severe pain and disability as her injuries heal. Photo by Lutheran Development Service of Liberia.
Annie suffered from severe burns on her arms, legs and abdomen. The pain was so extreme she thought she would die. Friends from church took her to the hospital for treatment, and she says she is thankful to God to be alive.
Supporting survivors of the Liberia tanker explosion
When tragedy strikes, your compassion makes it possible for people like Annie to get the help they need.
Since the disaster, Annie has been unable to work or attend the night classes that captured her interest. She and her husband already struggle to make ends meet, and now they have fallen behind on their children’s school fees.
Thankfully, generous donors have stepped in to help. Through Lutheran World Relief — in partnership with the Lutheran Church and Lutheran Development Services in Liberia — your compassion has provided nourishing comfort in the form of rice, cooking oil and other food items to 245 people whose lives and livelihoods were affected by this tragedy.
Food distribution for survivors of the Totota tanker explosion. Photo by Lutheran Development Service of Liberia.
In addition to meeting their basic need for food, this distribution also ensured those taking medications for their injuries would have adequate nutrition to support their treatments.
When Annie arrived at the distribution, she was incredibly grateful for the help provided by the network of Lutheran organizations. “Thank you for this assistance,” she said. “May God bless you more.”
Helping hospitals overwhelmed by patients
In the wake of the tanker explosion, local hospitals were inundated by dozens of patients needing care for their injuries. This disaster put an immense strain on the staff and resources, as these facilities are not prepared for a crisis of this size.
To lend a hand, our generous donors provided shipments of essential medicines and medical supplies to Phebe Hospital in Totota so health workers could meet patients’ treatment needs and restock depleted shelves.
We cannot thank you enough for reaching across the world to comfort the afflicted and share the love of Christ with those in need.
