A fire on Wednesday morning has left a family in Koroqaqa, along Baulevu Road near Nausori Town, homeless. According to the National Fire Authority (NFA), the blaze started in the storage area of the residence. The homeowner initially attempted to extinguish the fire with a garden hose, but had to escape as it quickly spread.
The NFA reported that the damage to the four-bedroom house is estimated to be between $80,000 and $90,000. Fire teams from the Nausori and Nakasi fire stations responded to the incident around 6 a.m. The affected family includes a 31-year-old taxi driver, his wife, two children, and his mother, all of whom were present at the time of the fire.
NFA chief executive officer Puamau Sowane expressed concern about the increasing number of residential fires. He stated that the authority is enhancing its Integrated Community Fire Wardens and Emergency Response Framework, a training program aimed at teaching firefighting skills, basic first aid, and emergency response to communities at no cost.
Investigations into the cause of the fire are currently underway.