A family of seven is urgently seeking support after their home was devastated by a fire last Friday at Belego Settlement in Savusavu. Naren Chand, the 59-year-old homeowner, revealed that his daughters, son-in-law, and grandchildren were present in the house at the time of the fire.
“I was away in Dreketi handling our business when I received the heartbreaking news around 7:30 PM,” Mr. Chand said. He noted that while the cause of the fire is still undetermined, his children suggested it might have stemmed from an electrical wiring issue in the ceiling, which ignited and spread through the walls.
Notably, Mr. Chand mentioned that his daughter had recently constructed a flat to live with her husband and two children nearby. He expressed that it took over 20 years for him and his wife to build their home, storeroom, and car park.
“We worked tirelessly to secure everything for our home. We started from nothing,” he stated. Mr. Chand emphasized the need for assistance to rebuild and to support his grandchildren’s education, as they have lost all their possessions. The children are enrolled at Savusavu Secondary School and Khemendra Central School.
He estimates the damage to be around $400,000. Police investigations are currently underway, according to spokesperson Ana Naisoro, and fortunately, there were no casualties reported. This incident marks the second house fire in the Northern Division this month, following a previous fire at Qelewaqa, Labasa, on September 14.