The National Fire Authority (NFA) is pleading to the public to take responsibility for fire safety as residential fire incidents continue to increase.

The concern comes in as NFA recorded two residential fire incidents that left two families homeless yesterday.

NFA Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Puamau Sowane says it is sad to see so many residential fires occurring.

“The National Fire Authority is concerned with the residential fires happening despite many awareness and reminders to the public.”

“It is sad to see families losing their valuables and many years of hard work to these fire incidents,” he said.

The first fire incident attended by NFA yesterday occurred at Sorokoba Village in Ba which left 5 people homeless.

At 1.15 pm the Ba Fire Station was alerted of the incident and the fire team responded immediately. Upon arrival at the scene, the fire team saw a corrugated iron and timber house fully engulfed in fire. The team quickly used one delivery of water from the fire truck to extinguish the fire and prevent its spread to another house just a few meters away from the burning house.  It is believed a boy was at home with his mother when the fire had started.

In another fire incident, a family lost their two-bedroom house at Hill 1 Lakena in Nausori.

At 4.17 pm, the Nausori Fire Station was alerted of the incident and the fire team responded immediately. Upon arrival at the scene, the fire team saw a partially corrugated iron house fully engulfed in flames. The team quickly used one delivery of water from the fire truck to extinguish the fire and save the neighboring houses just meters apart.

Mr. Sowane says a fire threatens everyone’s lives and properties and we should be mindful of our neighboring homes and properties when it comes to fire prevention.

“We need to take extra precautions and ensure fire safety measures are observed in and around our homes. Yesterday’s fire incidents could have destroyed other neighboring homes but firefighters managed to save them,” he added.

There were no injuries reported in the two fire incidents.

NFA investigations will be carried out today to determine the causes of the two fire incidents.

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