A second house in Vunivau, Labasa, was completely destroyed by fire yesterday, marking the second incident in just one month. The homeowner, Mohammed Irshad, was in Suva for work when the fire ignited. His wife and two children were home at the time but managed to escape without injuries.
The 31-year-old father expressed his shock after receiving a distressing notification from his wife. “It happened between 7 am and 7:30 am,” Mr. Irshad stated. He plans to return home soon to arrange temporary accommodation while he secures funding to rebuild their home.
Irshad, a lorry driver, had lived in the three-bedroom house for the past eight years and was unsure of the total damage costs, although he acknowledged that it took years to gather their household belongings.
The National Fire Authority reported that two fire trucks and nine officers from the Labasa Fire Station were dispatched to the scene after an emergency call. Divisional Police Commander North, Senior Superintendent of Police Kemueli Baledrokadroka, confirmed that an investigation had been initiated, but the cause of the blaze is still unknown.