Prompt action by firefighters from the Levuka Fire Station averted a significant disaster at the old Pacific Fishing Company building in Levuka on Wednesday, September 4.
The National Fire Authority received a call about the fire at 4:15 PM, and the crew arrived just four minutes later to find the wooden structure, measuring 30 by 20 feet, fully engulfed in flames.
Using a dividing breeching device and a nearby hydrant, they successfully extinguished the blaze by 5:41 PM. Unfortunately, the building, which had previously served as a kindergarten, suffered complete structural damage. An estimated cost of the damage has not yet been provided.
In a separate incident earlier that week, on Tuesday, September 3, the Seaqaqa Fire Station responded to a fire at Nakoro Settlement, where they found a vacant single-bedroom house extensively damaged and burnt down. This home, equipped with solar power, had been occupied by six individuals.
The causes of both fires are currently under investigation.
Puamau Sowane, the Chief Executive Officer of the National Fire Authority, commended the Levuka team for their prompt response and emphasized the growing risk of structural fires in light of the ongoing hot and dry conditions, urging the community to stay alert regarding fire safety.