A second house in Vunivau, Labasa, was completely destroyed by fire yesterday, marking the second such incident in a month. Mohammed Irshad, the owner of the residence, was in Suva for work when the blaze occurred. His wife and two children were at home but fortunately escaped without injury. The 31-year-old father expressed his shock upon 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 accommodation until they can gather the funds to rebuild. Irshad, who has worked as a lorry driver, had lived in the three-bedroom house for eight years. While he is uncertain about the overall damage costs, he highlighted that it took years to accumulate their household items.
The National Fire Authority reported that two fire trucks and nine personnel from the Labasa Fire Station were dispatched after receiving an emergency call. Meanwhile, Divisional Police Commander North, Senior Superintendent of Police Kemueli Baledrokadroka, confirmed that an investigation has been initiated, although the cause of the fire remains undetermined.