Fires cost us nearly $13 million in property damage in 2020

Fires cost us nearly $13 million in property damage in 2020 and more than $22.1 million in 2019.

Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama has revealed this adding we are only two months into 2021, and we have already had a total of 20 house fires in Fiji.

He says this may be shocking, but it is not unusual as last year we had 16 house fires in January and February.

While speaking at the launch of the Integrated Community Fire Warden and Emergency Response Framework today in Yako village, Nadi, Bainimarama says recently, a house fire in Nadele, Sabeto—claimed the lives of an elderly couple and their 5-month old grandchild.

Bainimarama says investigations have revealed that 77% of the fires attended to by the National Fire Authority are caused by electrical mishaps, arson, unattended cooking and mishandling of matches.

In 2020, 35% of all fire incidents were related to electricity, making electrical mishaps the number-one cause of fires.

He says it is a fact that most fires are not acts of God, most fires are the result of carelessness, ignorance or vandalism, and that means they can be prevented with proper education, guidance and vigilance.

In 2019, NFA conducted more than 400 community awareness programs, nearly 26,000 house-to-house visits and more than 500 programs in schools. That was followed by nearly 6,500 community awareness programs in 2020.

The Prime Minister says the new Integrated Community Framework will empower communities to take ownership of fire safety in their homes and prepare people to deal with fire and other emergencies.

Bainimarama says 32 other communities across Fiji are also ready to roll out the Framework.