By Sallieu S, Kanu
Bombali, June 2, 2026: The Ministry of Employment, Labour and Social Security (MELSS) has launched an investigation into a devastating fire that destroyed staff residences and office facilities at the 46 Man Camp of Sunbird Bioenergy Sierra Leone Limited.
A team of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) and Social Protection officers, led by Deputy Director of OSH Osman Conteh and Director of Social Protection Duraman Songo, was swiftly deployed to assess the cause of the incident and its impact on employees.
According to the company’s Engineering Services and Environmental Officer, Sulaiman Pascal Kamara, the affected building housed 56 employees and five offices, including the Agricultural Office, Audit Unit, Irrigation Department, Fire and Safety Unit, and the Zonal Managers’ Office. “The incident occurred on Saturday between 10 and 11 a.m. when most employees had travelled for the weekend. Fortunately, no one was inside the building when the fire broke out. While personal belongings were destroyed, there were no casualties,” Kamara explained. Preliminary findings suggest the blaze may have originated from an electrical fault before spreading rapidly.
Fire and Safety Manager Kaifala Kegan noted that company firefighters responded immediately but faced access challenges that delayed containment efforts. “By the time our equipment gained access to the rear of the building, the flames had already spread extensively,” he said.
In response, Sunbird Bioenergy’s management, led by Human Resources Manager Ibrahim Jah Sesay, relocated affected workers to alternative lodging and organized psychosocial counselling sessions. Management expressed sympathy to those impacted and commended emergency responders for their timely intervention.
During engagements, employees voiced concerns over financial losses, the need for stronger fire prevention systems, improved emergency preparedness, and enhanced firefighting capacity across company facilities.
The MELSS investigation is expected to provide recommendations on workplace safety, fire prevention, and employee welfare to prevent similar incidents in the future.