A family of five is now homeless after a fire completely destroyed their two-bedroom home in Rarawai, Ba, on Wednesday night. Manoj Kumar, a 55-year-old retired employee of the Fiji Sugar Corporation, watched helplessly as the flames consumed the house where he had lived with his wife and three children for the past 50 years.
“It happened really quickly. I drove to the TOTAL Service Station to pick up my son, wife, and daughter; when we returned, our home was on fire, and we couldn’t save anything,” Mr. Kumar recounted.
The fire broke out around 10:30 PM while no one was at home. “It’s devastating to stand there with only the clothes on your back; everything else was lost in the fire,” he added. Mr. Kumar had been with his wife and daughter in Nadi, and they were at the service station waiting for their eldest son to finish work when the incident occurred.
According to initial reports, the fire began in one of the rooms, and police are currently investigating the cause, ruling out an electrical fault. “It’s a family home where we have lived for 50 years. We have lost everything. All we have left are a few clothes, as everything else was destroyed,” he stated. The family is temporarily residing with relatives in Rarawai.
Mr. Kumar highlighted the urgent need for financial assistance to rebuild their home, as well as food and clothing. Efforts to reach Puamau Sowane, the chief executive officer of the National Fire Authority, for comments have so far been unsuccessful. Those wishing to help Mr. Kumar’s family can reach out to him directly at 9953371.