Sanjay Nand is grateful after his family narrowly escaped from a fire that broke out in the house they were renting on Tiri Road in Nadawa, Nasinu, yesterday.
“The fire originated in the middle room, but I am relieved that my wife, mother-in-law, and niece all sustained only minor burns,” Mr. Nand stated. His wife was the only family member requiring hospitalization for treatment.
Mr. Nand, who was at work when he received the alarming news, described the scene upon his arrival: “The house was still engulfed in flames, but my family was already outside.” Although he pays $1,000 in rent for the three-bedroom house, he is unaware of the total damage caused by the fire.
He expressed his gratitude to the firefighters who skillfully managed to control the flames, preventing them from spreading to nearby homes. Mr. Nand recounted that when his wife entered the bedroom, she found the mattress already ablaze, but the cause of the fire remains undetermined. He explained that the flames spread from the bedroom to the roof.
Mr. Nand mentioned that his family generally prays daily at home, often using a diya (lamp) during their rituals. He speculated, “It is not clear if that could have caused the fire because if it had fallen, it would have gone onto the tray.”
The National Fire Authority (NFA) confirmed that they received a call about the fire, and a team from Valelevu responded promptly to the incident, managing to contain the blaze. The exact cause of the fire has yet to be established, and investigations are ongoing.
Police spokesperson Ana Naisoro confirmed that two women and a child were able to evacuate safely. She noted, “The cause of the fire has not been established, and we are awaiting the fire report from the NFA.”