Old CWM Birthing Unit fire was deliberately lit - NFA

The Old CWM Birthing Unit at Amy Street, Suva last month was deliberately set on fire.

This has been confirmed by National Fire Authority CEO Puamau Sowane who says the cause of fire has been determined as incendiary or introduced fire.

He says an incendiary fire is a fire that is intentionally ignited in a location where it should not be, often involving the use of accelerants to spread the fire.

Sowane adds that it is a fire caused by human action with the intent to cause harm or damage, and it differs from accidental fires.

The CEO says incendiary fires are often associated with arson, which is the crime of deliberately setting fire to property.

He says the structure sustained 100 percent damage and the cost of damage has been estimated at $80,000.

Sowane has also confirmed that the fire at Rups Big Bear warehouse at Grantham Road, Raiwaqa, Suva was caused by an electrical fault.

He says the structure sustained a 100 percent damage and the estimated cost of damage is $1.2 million.

Sowane has also confirmed that an analysis by the NFA has found that while property fires for the first six months of this year have risen slightly compared to 2024, the cost of damage from those fires has increased by 43 percent.

He says the analysis also found a sudden trend change, showing a significant shift in the causes of fires over the past 18 months.

Sowane says based on reports compiled by the NFA’s Operations Department, the analysis found that there were 81 property fires at the end of June 2024 and by the end of last month, that figure rose by 4.9 percent to 85 property fires.

The CEO says as for the sudden trend change, the analysis found that from 2019 to 2023, the top three causes of property fires were electrical faults, arson/suspicious and unattended cooking, however, for 2024 and this year, the trend changed to electrical faults, incendiary and arson suspicious.

He says the new, emerging trend is incendiary fires and over the past 2 years, incendiary fires have become the second-highest type of fires.