A family of five has lost their home following a fire that completely destroyed their two-bedroom house in Rarawai, Ba, on Wednesday night. Retired Fiji Sugar Corporation worker Manoj Kumar, 55, could only watch in despair as flames consumed the residence where he lived with his wife and three children for the past 50 years.
“It happened so fast. I went to the TOTAL Service Station to pick up my son, wife, and daughter. By the time we returned, our home was engulfed in flames, and we couldn’t save anything,” Mr. Kumar recounted.
The incident occurred around 10:30 p.m. when no one was at home. “It was heartbreaking to stand there with nothing but the clothes on our backs; everything else was lost in the fire,” he added. Mr. Kumar and his family were away in Nadi and had been waiting at the service station for their elder son to finish work.
The fire reportedly started in one of the rooms, with police currently investigating the cause. Preliminary findings suggest it was not due to an electrical fault. “This is our family home, and we have lived here for 50 years. We have lost everything except a few clothes,” he stated. The family is now staying with relatives in Rarawai.
“We urgently need financial help to rebuild and also require food and clothing,” he appealed. Efforts to reach the National Fire Authority’s CEO, Puamau Sowane, for comment went unanswered. Those who wish to support Mr. Kumar’s family can contact him directly at 9953371.