NFA raises alarm as more house fires recorded in the Western Division

The National Fire Authority has expressed concern about the rising number of fires in the Western Division over the past three days.

NFA says the first fire occurred at a property belonging to the Roman Catholic Church in Fiji which was vacant at the time, but the structure suffered about 90 percent damage, with an estimated loss of $80,000.

They say the second incident took place in Mulomulo, Nadi, where a four-bedroom wooden house owned by a 60-year-old farmer was destroyed and the damage is estimated at $60,000.

It is believed that the fire started in a nearby sugarcane field and spread rapidly, engulfing the house.

The third fire happened at Moala Village, Nadi, where a house belonging to a 42-year-old farmer was also destroyed while the owner was away and the estimated damage to the structure and its content is $30,000.

NFA Chief Executive Officer Puamau Sowane says alerting the NFA as soon as a fire starts allows firefighters to respond quickly and prevent major damage.

He says this was demonstrated in a recent fire near Korovou Town, where timely action helped save the property from extensive harm.

Sowane praised the public for using the NFA’s emergency number, 910, to report fires and urged property owners to secure their vacant buildings to prevent future incidents.

NFA says despite continuous efforts to promote fire safety, fires continue to be a frequent issue across Fiji and all Fijians must work together to minimise property damage and prevent loss of life.