Firefighters from the Levuka Fire Station swiftly responded to a fire at the old Pacific Fishing Company building in Levuka on Wednesday, September 4, preventing a potential disaster. The National Fire Authority received the alarm at 4:15 PM, and emergency crews arrived within four minutes to find the 30 by 20-foot wooden structure completely engulfed in flames.
Using a dividing breeching device and a nearby hydrant, firefighters managed to extinguish the fire by 5:41 PM. Unfortunately, the building, which had previously served as a kindergarten, suffered total structural damage, though no estimate of the damage has been provided.
In a separate incident earlier in the week on Tuesday, September 3, the Seaqaqa Fire Station responded to a blaze at Nakoro Settlement. Firefighters found a vacant single-bedroom home that had been burned down. The heavily damaged house, which had solar power, was home to six residents.
The causes of both fires are currently under investigation. Puamau Sowane, Chief Executive Officer of the National Fire Authority, commended the Levuka team for their prompt action and emphasized the growing risk of structural fires due to the ongoing hot and dry weather, encouraging the community to prioritize fire safety.