The National Fire Authority is cautioning restaurant and eatery owners to ensure their staff undergo fire safety at work training conducted by the Authority after they received a small property fire call at Raojibhai Patel Street, Suva, on Monday.
The NFA says their Command Centre received a call at 12.07pm from an off-duty firefighter informing them of a kitchen fire.
They say the duty crews from Suva and Valelevu responded to the call, arriving at the scene at 12.18pm and getting to work, establishing 1 delivery of 2 lengths.
However, they were later informed that the kitchen staff had managed to put out the fire.
NFA CEO, Sowane Puamau, reiterated that fire safety at work was vital for high-risk businesses such as restaurants.
He says such training ensures that restaurant/eatery staff know what to do in the event of a fire.
Puamau says businesses need to invest in such training because it ensures the safety of staff and investment in the business in the long run.
He further says last year’s biggest fire at the Jaduram Building in Labasa started from an eatery and caused $7 million worth of damage to businesses in the building.
He adds this is an example of what can happen if people are unaware of how to respond to such fires.
In a separate incident last Saturday (17th August 2024), the Nadi Fire Station received a call at 12.43pm about a structural fire incident at Hilton Fiji Resort and Spa Denarau, Nadi.
They say the on-duty crew immediately responded with 2 trucks with 6 officers, and upon arrival at the scene 6 minutes later, they noticed a workshop housing engineering equipment and building materials on fire.
The NFA says they immediately established 2 deliveries of 2 lengths each with support from a nearby hydrant to fight the fire and managed to extinguish the fire by 3.41pm.
They say the property, which belongs to Hilton Fiji Resort and Spa, was completely destroyed.
