The National Fire Authority (NFA) is advising the public and business owners to be vigilant as the festive season approaches. This caution follows a major industrial fire that broke out early Friday morning at the Auto City Place in Raiwaqa, Suva.
According to NFA CEO Puamau Sowane, the Suva Fire Station team arrived at the incident site at 2:49 a.m. to find a complex comprised of a restaurant, a kava store, and an automotive spare parts shop fully engulfed in flames. Firefighters from the Valelevu Fire Station in Nasinu joined efforts to combat the blaze.
The firefighters successfully extinguished the fire within an hour, preventing it from spreading to nearby buildings. However, the structure suffered 80 percent damage, and the total cost of repairs is still to be assessed. Investigations will commence soon to determine the cause of the fire.
With the festive season nearing, Mr. Sowane emphasized the importance of fire safety. He urged business owners to turn off all unused power points and equipment and secure windows and doors to minimize fire hazards. He noted that these basic precautions can greatly decrease the likelihood of devastating fires and protect property.