A house in Vunivau, Labasa, was completely destroyed by fire yesterday, marking the second incident of this nature in the area within a month. The homeowner, Mohammed Irshad, was in Suva for work when the fire started. Fortunately, his wife and their two children were at home but managed to escape without any injuries.
Mr. Irshad expressed his disbelief after receiving the alarming news from his wife. “The fire occurred between 7am and 7:30am,” he said. He plans to return home soon to make arrangements for temporary housing until they can raise funds to rebuild their lives.
The 31-year-old lorry driver has resided in the three-bedroom house for the past eight years. While he is unsure of the total damage cost, he mentioned that it took him years to accumulate their household belongings.
The National Fire Authority reported that they dispatched two fire trucks and nine officers from the Labasa Fire Station to extinguish the blaze after receiving an emergency call. Senior Superintendent of Police Kemueli Baledrokadroka, the Divisional Police Commander for the North, confirmed that an investigation is underway, although the cause of the fire remains unidentified.