Firefighters from the Levuka Fire Station quickly responded to a significant fire at the old Pacific Fishing Company building on Wednesday, September 4, preventing a potential disaster. The National Fire Authority received an emergency call at 4:15 PM, and the crew arrived within four minutes to find the wooden structure, measuring 30 by 20 feet, completely engulfed in flames.
Utilizing a dividing breeching device and a nearby hydrant, firefighters managed to extinguish the fire by 5:41 PM. However, the building, which had previously served as a kindergarten, suffered complete structural damage, with no estimate on the cost of the destruction reported yet.
In a separate incident earlier that week, on Tuesday, September 3, the Seaqaqa Fire Station responded to a fire in Nakoro Settlement. They discovered a vacant single-bedroom house that had been burned down. This heavily damaged property, which was equipped with solar power, had housed six occupants.
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 and effective response. He also emphasized the increasing risk of structural fires due to the ongoing hot and dry conditions, urging the public to remain cautious about fire safety.