National Fire Authority (NFA) investigators have started investigating the probable causes of four fires last week.
At 11.28am yesterday (Sunday, 4th May, 2025), the duty crew at Sigatoka Fire Station received a call from the NFA Command Centre reporting a property fire at Vunarewa, Kavanagasau. approximately 27km from the station (outside fire boundary).
The crew responded immediately with 1 truck and 6 firefighters and arrived at the scene at 12.17pm to find a timber and corrugated iron house on fire.
They utilized 1 delivery of 1 length from their tank supply and with support from an underground fire hydrant managed to extinguish the fire by 1.18pm.
The house, which had a concrete foundation, belonged to a farmer and sustained 100% damage, with the cost of damage caused estimated at $20,000.
Two people who were in the house at the time of the fire (a father and son) escaped unhurt.
At 11.44am last Saturday (3rd May, 2025), the NFA Command Centre was contacted by a member of the public on the 910 emergency line to report a property fire at Belo Street, Samabula.
The duty crew at Suva Fire Station was alerted and 2 fire trucks with 8 firefighters and an ambulance were dispatched to the scene.
On arrival at 11.53am, the crew noticed a 6-bedroom wooden and concrete house fully engulfed in flames and immediately utilized 1 delivery of 2 lengths.
By 1.02pm, the duty officer at the scene advised the NFA Command Centre that firefighters had extinguished the fire.
Four people were occupying the house, which sustained more than 90% structural damage during the fire, although the estimated cost of damage caused could not be determined.
Meanwhile, at 8.35pm on Friday (2nd May, 2025), the NFA Command Centre alerted the duty crew at Tavua Fire Station after being notified about a fire at Davota, Tavua (outside fire boundary).
The duty team at Tavua Fire Station responded with two appliances with 6 firefighters and arrived at the scene at 9.40pm to find a concrete and partly wooden three-bedroom house engulfed in flames.
The crew immediately used 1 delivery of 2 lengths from their tank supply to stop the fire from spreading towards adjacent houses and managed to control the fire, extinguish the flames and put out hot spots.
The house, which was vacant at the time of the fire, sustained 90% structural damage, costing an estimated $50,000 in damage.
In the third incident, also on Friday, the Savusavu Fire Station duty team was alerted by Savusavu Police Station at 8.27pm about a property fire at Narain Heights.
The team responded immediately with 1 truck and 6 firefighters as well as another 4 firefighters in a utility vehicle and arrived at the scene at 8.32pm to find a single room villa fully engulfed in flames.
They utilized 1 delivery of 2 lengths to fully extinguish the fire.
The timber and corrugated iron villa was vacant at the time and the fire and sustained more than 90% damage.
NFA Chief Executive Officer Puamau Sowane urged homeowners to secure their properties when leaving, even if their absence would only be for a short period.
“We are increasingly finding a rise in the number of property fires when a house is vacant. Homeowners must secure their homes when leaving and inform a neighbour or relative to keep watch on their property while it is vacant,” he said.
“We urge homeowners to also be vigilant and practice fire safety measures in their homes, such as storing flammable items and materials properly in a safe space, placing mosquito coils on non-flammable surfaces and away from curtains and switch off power points and electrical appliances when not in use. These may be little things, but they ensure your home is fire safe when you leave.
“It is fortunate that no one was injured or lost their life, but what is concerning is that four families are without homes. These are lifetime investments that have been lost in a matter of minutes, which is why NFA is urging vigilance and fire safety measures.”
Mr Puamau Sowane
Chief Executive Officer
National Fire Authority of Fiji
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