Sunday, April 13, 2025 – Freetown – In an update issued today, Ibrahim Lansana, Personal Assistant to Chairman of the Energy Governance Coordination Group, Hon. Dr. Kandeh Yumkella, confirmed that firefighters were able to save the main office room of the renowned statesman during a fire outbreak at his office premises in State House.
According to Lansana, although the furniture in Dr. Yumkella’s office was soaked during efforts to extinguish the blaze, all critical materials—including computers, files, and documents—remained intact and undamaged.
However, the adjacent conference room, as well as the office shared by Lansana and Dr. Yumkella’s confidential secretary, were completely destroyed in the fire.
The office of Dr. Martin Gbonda, Director of Ministerial Coordination, was also lost in the incident. “Nothing was saved from those our own rooms,” Lansana confirmed.
He emphasized continued support for affected colleagues and pledged full cooperation with the ongoing investigation into the cause of the fire.
The update offers a clearer picture of the extent of the damage and the areas spared, as efforts continue to assess the full impact of the disaster.
Lansana’s update after reports that the fire outbreak at State House destroyed several offices, including those belonging to Presidential Secretary Yusuf Keketoma Sandi and Chairman of Hon. Yumkella.
The blaze, which began around 4:00 p.m. on the 4th Floor of the West Wing, quickly spread to the 3rd Floor, engulfing the offices of two senior government officials. The fire was brought under control after nearly four hours of intense firefighting.
“Keketoma Sandi and Kandeh Yumkella’s offices have both been burnt completely. NOTHING survived,” revealed prominent media personality and politician Dr. Sylvia Olayinka Blyden in a post shared on social media.
The Government of Sierra Leone, through the Ministry of Information and Civic Education, confirmed the incident in a public statement, emphasizing that the Office of the President on the 2nd Floor remains unaffected.
The cause of the fire is under investigation, and authorities have urged the public to remain calm and await official updates.
