A second house in Vunivau, Labasa, was completely destroyed by fire yesterday, marking the second incident in a month. The homeowner, Mohammed Irshad, was in Suva for work when the blaze occurred. Fortunately, his wife and two children were at home but managed to escape without injury.
The 31-year-old father expressed his disbelief upon receiving the alarming news from his wife. “It happened between 7 am and 7:30 am,” Mr. Irshad stated. He plans to return home soon to arrange temporary accommodation until he can gather funds to rebuild.
Irshad, who works as a lorry driver, has lived in the three-bedroom house for eight years. While he is uncertain about the total damage cost, he emphasized that it took him years to accumulate his household possessions.
The National Fire Authority reported that two trucks and nine fire officers from the Labasa Fire Station were dispatched to the scene after receiving an emergency call. Divisional Police Commander North, Senior Superintendent of Police Kemueli Baledrokadroka, confirmed that an investigation has been initiated, although the cause of the fire remains unknown.