Four surviving members of the Teruka family, whose home was devastated by a fire in 1984, were presented with keys to their new house three years after the tragic incident.
An article from The Fiji Times on May 10, 1987, reported that the concrete house, valued at $20,000, is located in Naboro, atop a hill half a kilometer from the fire’s origin. The house was constructed through the generosity of the Fijian community.
The fire, which began due to a benzine light, occurred on July 2, 1984, and resulted in the deaths of the family’s father, their two-year-old son, and their eight-year-old daughter, Raini. Following the tragedy, the surviving family members had been residing with friends and relatives.
A public fundraising campaign initiated by the Fiji Sixes Charity Committee raised an initial contribution of $1,000 for Borita Teruka and her three daughters. Managed by The Fiji Times, this appeal received overwhelming public support, amassing an additional $10,168.
Additional funds came from the insurance and savings of Mr. Teruka, who worked as a laboratory assistant at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital. The public trustee, Dhirendra Singh, oversaw the family’s financial matters and the house construction process.
Built by Latchmaiya Naidu of William Plumbing Work in Suva, the two-bedroom house measures six by nine meters and is situated on a five-acre hilltop lease, offering views of the sea and expansive bushland. This location is precisely where the late Mr. Teruka had planned to construct a two-storey family home.
The house is fully furnished, complete with new beds, chairs, and tables. Rex Gardener, the general manager of The Fiji Times at that time, handed over the keys to the family. He expressed that the community’s response during their time of need was a remarkable demonstration of generosity and restored faith in humanity.
Ms. Teruka expressed immense gratitude for this new chance at life, stating, “We are very happy and thankful to the people of Fiji for their help, thank you to everyone.”