A house in Vunivau, Labasa, was completely destroyed by fire yesterday, marking the second such incident in the area within a month.
The homeowner, Mohammed Irshad, was in Suva for work when the fire occurred. His wife and two children were at home but managed to escape without any injuries.
The 31-year-old father expressed his distress after receiving a phone call from his wife informing him of the situation. “It happened between 7am and 7:30am,” Mr. Irshad recounted. He plans to return home soon to arrange for temporary accommodation until funds can be secured to rebuild.
Irshad, a lorry driver, had resided in the three-bedroom house for eight years and is uncertain about the total damages, noting it took years to amass their household items.
The National Fire Authority reported that two fire trucks and nine officers from the Labasa Fire Station responded to the emergency call. Senior Superintendent of Police Kemueli Baledrokadroka, the Divisional Police Commander North, confirmed that an investigation is underway, although the cause of the fire remains unknown.