A family of five has lost their home after a fire completely destroyed their two-bedroom residence in Rarawai, Ba, on Wednesday night. Manoj Kumar, a 55-year-old retiree from the Fiji Sugar Corporation, was unable to save any belongings as the flames engulfed the house he had shared with his wife and three children for the past 50 years.
“The incident escalated rapidly. I had gone to the TOTAL Service Station to pick up my son, wife, and daughter, and by the time we returned, our home was already ablaze,” said Mr. Kumar.
The fire broke out around 10:30 PM while no one was at home. “It was heartbreaking to stand there with just the clothes on our backs; everything else was lost in the fire,” he added. Mr. Kumar had gone to Nadi with his family, and when they returned, they were waiting at the service station for their eldest son to finish work.
According to reports, the fire originated from one of the rooms, but the police are still investigating the cause and have ruled out electrical faults. “This is our family home where we have lived for 50 years, and now we have nothing left but a few clothes,” Mr. Kumar stated. The family is currently staying with relatives in Rarawai.
“We urgently need financial assistance to rebuild our home, as well as food and clothing,” he pleaded. Attempts to contact Puamau Sowane, the chief executive officer of the National Fire Authority, for further information went unanswered. Members of the community wishing to help Mr. Kumar’s family can reach him at 9953371.