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 retired employee of the Fiji Sugar Corporation, watched helplessly as the flames engulfed the house he had lived in with his wife and three children for the past 50 years.
The incident occurred around 10:30 PM while the Kumar family was away; they had gone to a nearby service station to pick up their older son after visiting Nadi. “It happened really quickly; when we returned, our home was on fire, and we could not save anything,” Mr. Kumar recounted.
He expressed the devastation of standing with only the clothes on their backs, having lost everything in the blaze. The fire is believed to have originated from one of the rooms, but authorities are still investigating the cause and have ruled out an electrical fault.
Having lived in the house for five decades, the family now faces an uncertain future with only a few clothes salvaged from the wreckage. They are currently staying temporarily with relatives in Rarawai. Mr. Kumar has appealed for financial assistance to help rebuild their home and to provide basic necessities such as food and clothing.
Efforts to reach the National Fire Authority’s chief executive officer, Puamau Sowane, for comment were unsuccessful. Community members willing to help the Kumar family can contact Mr. Kumar directly at 9953371.