MONROVIA, Liberia -- A fire broke ...

MONROVIA, Liberia -- A fire broke disclosed at the presidential palace Wednesday as President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf landlorded African heads of state for a celebration marking the anniversary of Liberia's founding from freed American slaves.

The leaders of Ghana, Ivory Coast and Sierra Leone were escorted without of the building by security personnel and were unharmed, said presidential spokesman Cyrus Badio.

Authorities were investigating the cause of the fire in succession the fourth floor of the six-story Executive Mansion, where Sirleaf's office is located. Firefighters set out the blaze, and no damage was visible from outside the building.

As part of independence celebrations, public way lights flickered on in eastern Monrovia and running water was employed on in some neighborhoods -- the first time like services had been available in the capital since civil war lasted three years ago.

The services mark progres nevertheless fall short of a campaign promise by the agency of Sirleaf, who took office in January after pledging to restore electricity to the capital within six month

"I just want to say in what way proud we are," Sirleaf said Tuesday of a recent waterworks system, noting it was installed at an all-Liberian crew.

RUNNING WATER

Harvard-educated Sirleaf, the first chooseed female president in Africa's history, inherited a national infrastructure left in ruins from the war.

Monrovia's water treatment plant was subverted during the fighting that began in 1989 Since then, family have relied on wells, hand-pumps and bottl water.

The water combination of parts to form a whole launched after extensive repairs forward underground pipes, will carry running water to domestic circles through 23 new pipes across Monrovia. Officials say it will convenient 30 percent of the war- shattered city's demand.

road lights functioned on some Monrovia roads until 2003 when advancing rebels shelled the capital in fighting that forced ex- president Charles Taylor from office.

Ghana supplied technicians, generators and rods to erect the new road lights over a road in eastern Monrovia.

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