A family of five is now without a home after a fire destroyed their two-bedroom house in Rarawai, Ba, on Wednesday night. Manoj Kumar, a 55-year-old retired Fiji Sugar Corporation employee, watched helplessly as the flames engulfed the home he shared with his wife and three children for the past 50 years.
“The incident happened very quickly. I had gone to the TOTAL Service Station to pick up my son, wife, and daughter. When we returned, our house was on fire, and we couldn’t save anything,” Mr. Kumar recounted.
The fire broke out around 10:30 PM while no one was home. “It’s devastating to stand there with only the clothes on your back; everything else is gone,” he added. Mr. Kumar had gone out to Nadi with his wife and daughter and was waiting at the service station for his elder son to finish work.
Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire, which is believed to have originated from one of the rooms. It has been established that it was not due to an electrical fault. “This is a family home where we’ve lived for 50 years. We lost everything—only a few clothes remain,” Mr. Kumar said.
Currently, the family is staying temporarily with relatives in Rarawai. Mr. Kumar expressed the family’s urgent need for financial assistance to rebuild their home, as well as food and clothing. Attempts to reach the chief executive officer of the National Fire Authority, Puamau Sowane, for comment were unsuccessful.
Those who wish to help Mr. Kumar’s family can contact him directly at 9953371.