Quick action by firefighters at the Levuka Fire Station extinguished a fire at the old Pacific Fishing Company (PAFCO) building in the town, averting a major disaster.

At 4.15pm on Wednesday (4th September, 2024), the National Fire Authority (NFA) Command Centre received a call about a property fire call near the PAFCO factory in Levuka.

The duty crew at Levuka Fire Station responded immediately with one truck and 8 officers and arrived at the scene 4 minutes later to find a 30x20 wooden building in the PAFCO compound fully engulfed in flames.

The crew established 1 delivery of 3 lengths with dividing breeching attached from their tank supply.

The dividing breeching device takes a single water supply and splits it in two, allowing firefighters to fight a fire from two different points.

By 5.41pm, the crew managed to extinguish the fire using 1 delivery of 3 lengths with dividing breeching and support from a nearby hydrant.

The wooden building sustained 100% structural damage. There is no indication yet on the estimated cost of damage.

The building sits within the PAFCO compound and used to be the old Levuka copra shed. For some time, it was used as an early childhood education centre (kindergarten) before being left vacant.

Because it was a heritage building, it could not be renovated or destroyed.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday this week (3rd September, 2024), Seaqaqa Fire Station received a call at 12.50pm about a property fire at Nakoro Settlement, approximately 11km from the station.

The duty crew responded immediately with 1 truck and 4 officers and arrived at the scene at 1.01pm to find a single-bedroom house burned down.

Information gathered from neighbours was that at the time of incident the house was vacant.

The crew used 1 delivery of 1 length from tank supply to extinguish hot spots.

The timber and corrugated iron house had solar power connected and was occupied by 6 people. It sustained more than 90% damage.

Investigations have started to determine the probable cause of fires.

NFA Chief Executive Puamau Sowane thanked the officers at the Levuka Fire Station for averting a major disaster.

“Our team in Levuka did a great job. They managed to stop the fire from spreading to the newer PAFCO building and the Ports Authority Office.

“It is fortunate no one was injured during the incident.”

Mr. Sowane says there is a notable increase in structural fires across Fiji and it is of great concern as people's lives are endangered by unwanted fires.

“The hot and dry season currently being experienced increases volatility of fuel loads and reduces ignition point temperature, meaning that fires can start at very low temperature due to volatility of surrounding fuel loads,” he said.

“We warn members of the public to always be vigilant when it comes to fire safety."

ENDS.