Three people are homeless after a residential fire destroyed a house at Wailevu, Rakiraki, late Sunday night.
The National Fire Authority says the Rakiraki Fire Station received a call from the Rakiraki Police Station at 11.07pm on Sunday, and a crew of four firefighters arrived at the scene at 11.30pm.
They say upon arrival, firefighters found that the 12-metre by 6-metre residential structure had already been completely destroyed by fire.
Firefighters immediately established two 38mm hose lines using the fire appliance’s water tank supply to extinguish the remaining fire.
The fire was brought under control at 12.30am yesterday.
NFA says information gathered from neighbours indicated that the property belonged to a caretaker.
They say the fire caused an estimated 100 percent damage to the house and its contents, with preliminary losses estimated at $30,000.
No one was injured.
The Authority says the fire scene was approximately 31 kilometres from Rakiraki Fire Station, while the nearest fire hydrant was about five kilometres away.
NFA says it will conduct an investigation to determine the suspected cause of the fire.
NFA Chief Executive Officer Puamau Sowane says he is concerned about the number of fires that continue to occur across the country despite repeated reminders for homeowners to take responsibility for their safety and properties.
Sowane says the continued incidents are disturbing and urges members of the public to protect their families and communities from the devastating impact of fires.
He says losing a home and personal belongings to fire can be a traumatic experience, particularly for families who may have limited resources to recover from such an incident.
He says while the cause of this fire is yet to be established, he is urging people to take proactive steps to protect their homes and families from the risk of fire.
Sowane is also encouraging households to ensure their homes are safely constructed, electrical installations are properly maintained, and potential fire hazards are identified and addressed before they lead to an emergency.
The NFA is reminding the public to ensure all household members know what to do in the event of a fire, including identifying safe escape routes and moving to safety without delay.
People are urged to call 910 immediately in the event of a fire or other emergency.
