A family of five has lost their home following a fire that completely destroyed their two-bedroom house in Rarawai, Ba, on Wednesday night. Manoj Kumar, a 55-year-old retired employee of the Fiji Sugar Corporation, experienced the devastation firsthand as he watched the flames consume the home where he lived with his wife and three children for the past 50 years.
Mr. Kumar explained that the fire broke out while he was away picking up his family from a nearby service station. “It happened really quickly. We returned to find our home engulfed in flames, and there was nothing we could do,” he said. The incident occurred around 10:30 p.m., and since no one was home at the time, all their belongings were lost in the fire.
He and his family had been out in Nadi for the evening and waited at the service station for their older son to finish work. “I was alone the entire day,” he recalled. The fire reportedly began in one of the rooms, but authorities are still investigating the cause, ruling out an electrical fault.
“This was our family home for five decades. We have nothing left now, just a few clothes; everything else has been destroyed,” Mr. Kumar lamented. The family is currently staying temporarily with relatives in Rarawai.
They are seeking financial help to rebuild their home and are also in need of food and clothing. Efforts to reach Puamau Sowane, the chief executive officer of the National Fire Authority, have not been successful. Those wishing to support Mr. Kumar’s family can contact him directly at 9953371.