A residence in Vunivau, Labasa, was completely destroyed by fire yesterday, marking the second such incident in a month. Mohammed Irshad, the owner of the home, was in Suva for work when the blaze occurred. Fortunately, his wife and two children were present but managed to escape without injury.
The 31-year-old father expressed his disbelief after receiving the alarming news from his wife. “It happened between 7 am and 7:30 am,” Mr. Irshad stated. He plans to return home soon to arrange for temporary housing until they are able to gather funds to rebuild.
Irshad, a lorry driver, had resided in the three-bedroom house for eight years. While he could not determine the total extent of the damage, he reflected on the years it took to accumulate their household belongings.
The National Fire Authority reported that two fire trucks and nine personnel from the Labasa Fire Station were dispatched to respond to the emergency. Senior Superintendent of Police Kemueli Baledrokadroka, the Divisional Police Commander North, confirmed that an investigation is underway, with the cause of the fire still undetermined.