Firefighters from the Levuka Fire Station acted swiftly to avert a potential disaster at the old Pacific Fishing Company building in Levuka on Wednesday, September 4.
The National Fire Authority received a fire alert at 4:15 PM, and crews arrived within four minutes, discovering the wooden structure, measuring 30 by 20 feet, completely engulfed in flames. A dividing breeching device and water from a nearby hydrant were employed to extinguish the fire by 5:41 PM.
The building, which once served as a kindergarten, suffered total structural damage. Currently, the cost of the damage has not been estimated.
In a separate incident earlier that week, on Tuesday, September 3, firefighters from the Seaqaqa Fire Station responded to a fire at Nakoro Settlement, where they found a vacant single-bedroom home that had been completely destroyed. The heavily damaged house was equipped with solar power and was previously occupied by six residents.
Investigations are underway to determine the causes of both fires. Puamau Sowane, Chief Executive Officer of the National Fire Authority, commended the Levuka team for their prompt response and emphasized the rising risk of structural fires due to the ongoing hot and dry weather, urging the community to stay vigilant regarding fire safety.