A family of five has lost their home after a fire completely destroyed their two-bedroom house in Rarawai, Ba, on Wednesday night. Manoj Kumar, a retired employee of Fiji Sugar Corporation, expressed his devastation as he watched the flames consume the home where he had lived with his wife and three children for the past 50 years.
“It happened so fast. I had gone to the TOTAL Service Station to pick up my son, wife, and daughter, and when we returned, our home was ablaze. We couldn’t save anything,” Kumar recounted.
The fire broke out around 10:30 p.m. while no one was home. He noted the heartbreaking reality of standing outside with only the clothes on their backs, as everything they owned was lost to the fire. Kumar had traveled to Nadi with his wife and daughter and was waiting for their elder son to finish work when the incident occurred.
Authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire, which is believed not to be due to electrical faults. Kumar emphasized the emotional toll, stating, “It’s a family home; we have lived there for 50 years. We have lost everything except a few clothes.”
Currently, the family is staying temporarily with relatives in Rarawai. Kumar is seeking financial assistance to help rebuild their house and provide for basic necessities such as food and clothing. While calls made to the National Fire Authority remained unanswered, those wishing to assist the Kumar family can reach out to him directly at 9953371.