A family of five has been left homeless after their two-bedroom house was completely destroyed by a fire in Rarawai, Ba, on Wednesday night. Manoj Kumar, a 55-year-old retired employee of the Fiji Sugar Corporation, expressed his despair as he watched the flames consume the home he and his family had lived in for the past 50 years.
Mr. Kumar recounted the events leading up to the fire, stating that he had gone to a nearby service station to pick up his son, wife, and daughter. When they returned around 10:30 PM, they found their house engulfed in flames, leaving them with nothing but the clothes they were wearing at the time.
The fire reportedly began in one of the rooms, but police are still investigating its cause. Preliminary findings suggest that it was not due to an electrical fault. Mr. Kumar lamented the loss, saying, “It’s a family house; we have stayed there for 50 years. We’ve got nothing at all now, only a few clothes, but everything else was destroyed.”
Currently, the family is staying with relatives in Rarawai and is urgently seeking financial help to rebuild their home, as well as assistance with food and clothing. Efforts to reach the National Fire Authority’s chief executive officer, Puamau Sowane, for comments have not been successful. Those wishing to support Mr. Kumar’s family can reach out to him directly at 9953371.