A house in Vunivau, Labasa, was completely destroyed by fire yesterday, marking the second such incident in just one month. Mohammed Irshad, the owner of the residence, was in Suva for work when the fire broke out. His wife and two children were home but managed to escape without injuries.
Irshad, a 31-year-old lorry driver, expressed his disbelief upon receiving a call about the incident from his wife. “It happened between 7am and 7:30am,” he reported. He plans to return soon to arrange temporary housing until they can gather funds to rebuild.
Having lived in the three-bedroom house for eight years, Irshad couldn’t estimate the total damages but remarked on the years it took to accumulate their belongings. The National Fire Authority dispatched two fire trucks and nine officers from the Labasa Fire Station after receiving an emergency call regarding the blaze.
Senior Superintendent of Police Kemueli Baledrokadroka, the Divisional Police Commander for the North, confirmed that an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the fire, which remains unknown.