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 retired worker from the Fiji Sugar Corporation, was devastated as he witnessed the flames consume the residence he shared with his wife and three children for the past 50 years.
Mr. Kumar recounted the tragic event, stating, “It happened really quickly. I drove to the TOTAL Service Station to pick up my son, wife, and daughter. Upon our return, we found our home engulfed in flames and could save nothing.” The incident occurred around 10:30 PM when no one was home. “It was heartbreaking to stand there with only the clothes on our backs; everything else was lost in the fire,” he added.
Earlier that day, Mr. Kumar, along with his wife and daughter, had gone to Nadi, leaving their elder son to work. They returned only to find everything they owned reduced to ashes. The fire is believed to have started in one of the rooms, although police officials are still investigating its cause and have ruled out electrical faults.
“This was our family home for 50 years. Now, we have nothing but a few clothes; everything else was destroyed,” Mr. Kumar shared. The family is currently seeking refuge with relatives in Rarawai.
“We are in urgent need of financial assistance to rebuild our house, as well as food and clothing,” he said. Efforts to contact the chief executive officer of the National Fire Authority, Puamau Sowane, for further comments went unanswered. Members of the public interested in assisting Mr. Kumar’s family can reach him directly at 9953371.