A family of seven is in urgent need of support after their home was completely destroyed by a fire last Friday in Belego Settlement, Savusavu. The homeowner, Naren Chand, 59, revealed that at the time of the fire, his daughters, son-in-law, and grandchildren were at home.
“I was in Dreketi managing our business when I received the heartbreaking news around 7:30 p.m.,” Mr. Chand stated. He noted that while the cause of the fire is still unknown, his children believe it may have resulted from an electrical wiring issue in the ceiling.
The blaze quickly spread through the walls of the house. Mr. Chand mentioned that his daughter had just built a flat to live with her husband and two children nearby. He reflected on the effort it took him over 20 years to construct the home, including a storeroom and a car park.
“My wife and I put in a lot of hard work to provide for our home. We built everything from the ground up,” he said. “We need assistance to rebuild our house, and we also require help for my grandchildren’s education, as we’ve lost everything.”
His grandchildren are enrolled in Savusavu Secondary School and Khemendra Central School. Mr. Chand estimated the total damage at around $400,000.
According to police spokesperson Ana Naisoro, an investigation is underway, but fortunately, there were no casualties reported. This incident marks the second residential fire in the Northern Division this month, following a previous fire in Qelewaqa, Labasa on September 14.