Suspected gas leak likely to have caused the Vatuwaqa house fire – NFA

The National Fire Authority says investigations reveal that a visitor was lighting the stove to boil tea when a suspected gas leak caused the house fire at Fletcher Road in Vatuwaqa.

NFA says the owner of the house was at work while his father was home with visitors from overseas.

The 3 bedroom wooden house was destroyed in the fire.

NFA says the Suva Fire Station was alerted about the fire at 9.45am and the team was able to respond immediately. However, upon arrival at the scene the house was fully engulfed in flames.

Firefighters were able to extinguish the fire to stop the spread to other buildings and houses.

NFA Chief Executive Officer, Puamau Sowane says fire safety is crucial for everyone and people need to take extra precautions in their homes.

He says the number of residential fires has gone up recently and it is a great concern to NFA.

According to statistics recorded by NFA since January this year to August, a span of over nine (9) months, a total of 84 structural fire incidents have been recorded compared to 74 structural fire incidents same period last year. From the 84 fire incidents recorded, 31 occurred in the Central/Eastern Division, 41 in the Western Division and 12 in the Northern Division.