A house in Vunivau, Labasa, was destroyed by fire yesterday, marking the second such incident in the area within a month. The homeowner, Mohammed Irshad, was in Suva for work when the blaze occurred. His wife and their two children were at home but managed to escape without injury.
Mr. Irshad, aged 31, expressed his shock after receiving a distressing phone call from his wife about the fire, which occurred between 7:00 AM and 7:30 AM. He stated, “I’ll be returning home soon to make arrangements for temporary accommodation until we can secure funds to rebuild.”
Irshad, a lorry driver, has lived in the three-bedroom house for eight years. Although he was unsure of the total damage cost, he emphasized how long it had taken to acquire their household items.
The National Fire Authority reported that two trucks and nine officers from the Labasa Fire Station were dispatched to the scene following an emergency call. Senior Superintendent of Police Kemueli Baledrokadroka, the Divisional Police Commander North, confirmed that an investigation is underway, and the cause of the fire is still unknown.