The National Fire Authority is raising concerns with the general public following the increasing number of home fires over the Christmas festivities and calls for everyone to take extra precautions and advocate fire safety to avoid such sad encounters.
This follows the recent bout of fires in December and particularly over the Christmas period.
NFA CEO Puamau Sowane says a total of 20 houses or homes and belongings went up in flames over just twenty-seven days this month, compared to 19 house fires for the whole month of December last year.
The CEO says this is alarming and very sad as for this month alone, NFA has attended 11 house fires in the West, 7 house fires in the Central Division and 2 house fires in the North.
Sowane says the NFA responded to a house fire in Vusuya, Nausori yesterday where a 3-bedroom residential property was destroyed however, no one was injured during the incident.
He says at 4.23am today, they received another emergency call through the Nausori Police Station of another property that was on fire at Naitutu, Tailevu.
The CEO says their NFA Korovou team responded to the incident and upon arrival at the scene at 4.30am, the fire crew found the house fully engulfed with flames.
He adds the property was a 3-bedroom home and was occupied by 2 adults and their 2 sons and there were no injuries reported.
Sowane says while NFA teams are investigating the causes of these 2 residential fires, the Authority continues to urge the public to maintain fire safety in their properties.
Sowane says families are still enjoying the Christmas festivities, yet homes are also being destroyed by fire.
He says there are still a lot of activities and festivities yet to come with New Year’s celebrations just around the corner and they are urging everyone to take extra precautions and advocate fire safety at all times.
Parents and guardians are urged to be aware of their children’s whereabouts and their safety especially as our children seek picnic spots to enjoy a swim.
Sowane says the NFA team in Sigatoka responded to an emergency rescue operation where a young girl slipped and fell at the Qwali Waterfalls in Sigatoka and suffered head and body injuries.
The NFA Sigatoka fire crew utilized a backboard and webbing stretcher to safely secure the young lass and carried her upstream to the NFA Ambulance and conveyed her safely to the Sigatoka Hospital.
The NFA CEO is calling out to all parents, tenants and homeowners to keep vigil over their children and their homes during these festive holidays and are urging the public to adhere to all precautionary measures and avoid such incidents from happening.
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