A second house in Vunivau, Labasa, was completely destroyed by fire yesterday, marking the second such incident within a month. The homeowner, Mohammed Irshad, was in Suva for work when the fire occurred. His wife and two children were at home at the time but managed to escape without injuries.
The 31-year-old father expressed his disbelief upon receiving the distressing news from his wife. “It happened between 7am and 7:30am,” Mr. Irshad stated. He plans to return home soon to arrange for temporary shelter until he can gather the funds needed to rebuild.
Irshad, a lorry driver, had lived in the three-bedroom house for eight years and noted that the accumulation of household items took many years. While he is unsure of the total damage, he emphasized the emotional toll of losing his home.
The National Fire Authority dispatched two trucks and nine officers from the Labasa Fire Station in response to the emergency call. Divisional Police Commander North, Senior Superintendent of Police Kemueli Baledrokadroka, confirmed that an investigation is underway, and the cause of the fire is still unknown.