A second house in Vunivau, Labasa, was completely destroyed by fire yesterday, marking the second such incident in just one month. The homeowner, Mohammed Irshad, was in Suva for work when the blaze occurred. Fortunately, his wife and two children were at home but managed to escape without injury.
The 31-year-old father expressed his shock upon receiving the troubling news from his wife. “The fire broke out between 7 am and 7:30 am,” Mr. Irshad shared. He plans to return home soon to arrange temporary accommodation for his family until they can gather enough funds to rebuild their lives.
Irshad, who works as a lorry driver, had lived in the three-bedroom house for eight years and was uncertain about the total damage but mentioned that it took years to collect their household items.
The National Fire Authority reported that two fire trucks and nine officers from the Labasa Fire Station were sent to the location in response to an emergency call. Senior Superintendent of Police Kemueli Baledrokadroka, the Divisional Police Commander for the North, confirmed that an investigation into the cause of the fire is underway, although it remains unknown at this time.