A fire in Malawai, Nadi, has left seven family members homeless after their two-storey, seven-bedroom home, along with their shop and Kava Bar, was destroyed early yesterday morning.
Abdul Munaf, the owner of the commercial property, has operated the business for over 35 years. His son, Nazil Nabeel, shared that the shop had been closed on Saturday night, and the family members were asleep when the fire ignited. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.
“The fire is believed to have started from the back. My two-bedroom apartment, a shop, and Kava bar are all downstairs. Upstairs was our family home with five bedrooms,” Mr. Munaf explained.
“Unfortunately, we couldn’t save anything aside from the clothes we were wearing. Right now, we are homeless and unsure of where to stay. My parents are at a friend’s house,” he added.
The family expressed their heartbreak over the loss, with Mr. Munaf conveying the pain of witnessing years of hard work go up in smoke.
He estimated the damage to exceed $100,000.
The National Fire Authority has confirmed that their officers responded to the fire and are conducting an investigation, with police also confirming that an inquiry is underway.