Investigators from the National Fire Authority (NFA) have started work on two fires that destroyed two houses in the Central/Eastern Division on Sunday (16th March, 2025).

At 2.42pm, the NFA Command Centre received a call through 910 emergency line from a member of the public informing them about a property fire at Grantham Rd, opposite Rups, at Raiwaqa.

The duty crew at Suva Fire Station responded immediately with 2 trucks and 8 officers and arrived at the scene at 2.48pm to find a corrugated iron fully engulfed in flames.

The crews immediately established 2 deliveries of 2 lengths each and by 5.20pm managed to extinguish the flames.

The duty officer at the scene later informed the command centre that a woman had been found dead in the house.

On-site investigations found that the house was occupied by a couple and 5 children when the fire started.  

The father evacuated all the children outside and tried to rescue his wife, but the heat and fire were too much, which almost cost his life.

Meanwhile, at 5.11am on Sunday, the NFA Command Centre was alerted about a property fire call at Bau Tikina Road, Nausori.

 The duty crew at Nausori Fire Station was dispatched to the scene and arrived at 5.28am to find a well-involved fire at a corrugated iron home and immediately established 1 delivery of 2 lengths from their tank supply,

 By 6.11am the crew managed to extinguish the fire, but the structure sustained 100% damage.

NFA Chief Executive Officer Puamau Sowane said so far this year, this was the second fire fatality reported, the first being a 65-year-old man at Narere, Nasinu, in January this year.

He said any loss of life during a fire was tragic and something firefighters hard worked to avoid.

“Our condolences to the family for their loss,” Mr Sowane said.

“Since 2016, we’ve had an average of 6 fire fatalities per year. Last year and 2018 were the lowest with 3 fire fatalities. Our role is saving lives and properties and we need the public’s support to do that.

“This support comes in simple forms such as alerting our people at the first sign of a fire or providing information crucial to a fighting a fire, such as whether there are people in a house during a fire.

“The fire crews’ priority is to extinguish a fire and stop it from spreading to nearby houses, especially in a residential area. However, the availability of crucial information helps firefighters do their duties better and efficiently.

“I urge members of the public to contact us as soon as possible to give our crews a fighting chance to save lives and properties.

“We are also urging the public to resolve their disputes in an amicable manner and not to resort to actions where families lose all their belongings, which is then compounded by a death from fire.

“We have had similar instances this year and previously when family members resorted to such actions, and we call on members of the public to refrain from such actions.”

Mr Puamau Sowane

Chief Executive Officer

National Fire Authority of Fiji

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