NFA calls on building owners and business operators to secure properties to prevent fires

The National Fire Authority (NFA) is calling on building owners and business operators to safely secure their businesses and properties before leaving.

NFA Chief Executive Officer Puamau Sowane made this call after firefighters from the Suva Fire Station took just over an hour to put out a massive industrial fire at Raiwaqa in Suva.

Puamau says the NFA Command Centre was alerted at 2.39am by officers at the Raiwaqa Police Station about a fire at Auto City Place, off Grantham Road, Raiwaqa and the duty crew at Suva Fire Station arrived at the scene at 2.49am to find a complex housing, a spare parts shop, a kava shop and a restaurant fully engulfed in flames.

He says the Suva crew received support from Valelevu Fire Station, and by 3.49am, the fire was extinguished and stopped from spreading to nearby shops and buildings.

Investigations are expected to start soon to find out the probable cause of the fire.

Sowane says it was fortunate that it did not happen in the daytime when there would have been people at work.

Sowane says business owners need to practise fire safety and check that all unused power points and machines are switched off, and secure windows and doors before leaving their workplaces.

He says as we approach the festive season, members of the public need to exercise care and caution and help prevent unwanted fires and property loss.