A family in Koroqaqa, located along Baulevu Road outside Nausori Town, has been left homeless following a fire that destroyed their house on Wednesday morning. According to the National Fire Authority (NFA), the blaze began in a storage area. The homeowner attempted to extinguish the flames with a garden hose, but the fire spread rapidly, prompting the family to evacuate.
The NFA has estimated the damage to the four-bedroom home to be between $80,000 to $90,000. Fire response teams from the Nausori and Nakasi fire stations arrived at the scene around 6 am. At the time of the incident, the 31-year-old homeowner, who works as a taxi driver, was at home with his wife, two children, and mother.
Investigations into the cause of the fire are currently underway. NFA Chief Executive Officer Puamau Sowane has expressed concern over the increasing number of residential fires. He stated that the NFA is enhancing its Integrated Community Fire Wardens and Emergency Response Framework, a training program designed and implemented by the NFA which is offered free to communities. This program includes two weeks of intensive firefighting training that focuses on fire prevention, basic first aid, and emergency response skills.