A family in Koroqaqa, located along Baulevu Road near Nausori Town, has lost their home to a fire that occurred on Wednesday morning. The National Fire Authority (NFA) reported that the blaze originated in the storage area of the house. The homeowner attempted to extinguish the fire using a garden hose, but they had to evacuate as it quickly spread.
The damage to the four-bedroom house is estimated between $80,000 and $90,000. Fire crews from the Nausori and Nakasi fire stations responded to the fire around 6 am. At the time of the incident, the 31-year-old taxi driver, along with his wife, two children, and mother, were present at home.
The NFA is currently investigating the cause of the fire. NFA CEO Puamau Sowane raised concerns about the increasing number of residential fires. He stated that the authority is enhancing its Integrated Community Fire Wardens and Emergency Response Framework, a training program provided at no cost to communities. This program offers two weeks of intensive training focused on firefighting skills, prevention of unwanted fires, basic first aid, and emergency response within communities.