A second house in Vunivau, Labasa, was completely destroyed by fire yesterday, marking the second incident in just one month. Mohammed Irshad, the owner of the home, was in Suva for work when the fire began. Fortunately, his wife and two children were at home but managed to escape without any injuries.
The 31-year-old father expressed his disbelief upon receiving the alarming news from his wife. “It occurred between 7 am and 7:30 am,” Mr. Irshad stated. He mentioned that he would be returning home soon to make arrangements for temporary accommodation until he could gather funds to rebuild.
Irshad, who works as a lorry driver, had lived in the three-bedroom house for eight years. Although he did not know the total damage cost, he pointed out that it had taken years to accumulate the household items that were lost.
The National Fire Authority reported that two trucks and nine firefighters from the Labasa Fire Station were sent to the fire scene following an emergency call. Senior Superintendent of Police Kemueli Baledrokadroka, the Divisional Police Commander for the North, confirmed that an investigation is underway, and the cause of the fire remains unknown.