A second home in Vunivau, Labasa, was completely destroyed by fire yesterday, marking the second incident of this nature in just one month. The homeowner, Mohammed Irshad, was away for work in Suva when the fire occurred. His wife and two children were at home but fortunately escaped without injury.
The 31-year-old father shared his shock after receiving the alarming news from his wife, stating that the fire broke out between 7:00 AM and 7:30 AM. “I’ll be returning home soon to make arrangements for temporary accommodation until we can secure funds to rebuild,” Mr. Irshad said.
As a lorry driver, Irshad had lived in the three-bedroom house for eight years and is uncertain about the total damage but mentioned that it took years to collect 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 receiving an emergency call. Meanwhile, Senior Superintendent of Police Kemueli Baledrokadroka, the Divisional Police Commander North, confirmed that an investigation is underway, although the cause of the fire remains undetermined.