The National Fire Authority (NFA) attended to a fire incident that occurred at Lot 30 Fletcher Road in Vatuwaqa this morning.

The Suva Fire Station was alerted of the fire at 9.45 am and the fire team responded immediately. Upon arrival at the scene, the fire team found a 3- bedroom wooden house well engulfed in flames. The team quickly established one delivery of water from the fire truck to extinguish the fire and stop its spread to other buildings meters away from the burning building.

It is understood the owner of the house was at work while his father was at home with visitors from Overseas. Preliminary investigations reveal the visitor was lighting the stove to boil tea when a suspected gas leak caused the fire and spread to other parts of the house.

The NFA Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Puamau Sowane said we sympathize with the family for their loss. Fire safety is crucial for everyone and people need to take extra precautions in their homes.

According to statistics recorded by NFA since January this year to August, a span of over nine (9) months, a total of 84 structural fire incidents have been recorded compared to 74 structural fire incidents same period last year. Of the 84 fire incidents recorded, 31 occurred in the Central/Eastern Division, 41 in the Western Division and 12 in the Northern Division. 

“The number of residential fires has gone up recently and it is a great concern to NFA.”

Fires impact people, property and the environment. All Fijians need to be mindful of their surrounding and adhere to all fire safety precautionary measures given out by NFA,” he said.

The National Fire Authority urges all Fijians to be alert with their surroundings and immediately call the toll-free fire emergency number 910 if they see any suspicious smoke or fire before attempting to put it out, so that firefighters can respond in the quickest time possible.

The NFA will be carrying out its investigations into the fire incident to ascertain the cause.

-End-