A second home in Vunivau, Labasa was completely destroyed by fire yesterday, marking the second incident in just one month. The homeowner, Mohammed Irshad, was working in Suva when the fire occurred. Fortunately, his wife and two children were at home but managed to escape without injury.
Mr. Irshad, 31, shared his shock upon receiving the alarming news from his wife. “It happened between 7 am and 7:30 am,” he said, adding, “I’ll be returning home soon to make arrangements for temporary accommodation until we can secure funds to rebuild.”
Irshad, who works as a lorry driver, had resided in the three-bedroom house for eight years. Although he is unsure of the total damage cost, he emphasized how long it took to accumulate their household items.
The National Fire Authority reported that two fire trucks and nine personnel from the Labasa Fire Station responded quickly to the emergency call. Divisional Police Commander North, Senior Superintendent of Police Kemueli Baledrokadroka, confirmed that an investigation is underway, but the cause of the fire remains unknown.