It has been established that unattended cooking was the cause of the devastating house fire in Baulevu, Nausori that claimed the lives of 4 people and a child last month.
Shivneel Shivam Chand, his wife Priya Lal, their three-year-old daughter Akruti, and Chand’s 56-year-old parents Satish Chand and Anita Devi were all inside the home when the fire broke out.
The National Fire Authority has confirmed this after a detailed investigation, where investigators found that the fire started in the kitchen area of the home after examining fire patterns, burn damage, fire spread indicators and other physical evidence at the scene.
They say investigation found severe fire damage concentrated in the kitchen, clearly identifying it as the point of origin.
Investigators also discovered a melted cooking pot on top of the stove, while the gas cylinder had been displaced due to the intensity of the blaze.
The NFA says these findings, along with other physical indicators, confirmed that the stove area was the cause.
They say information gathered from interviews with nearby residents revealed that homeowner Shivneel Singh had returned home at about 10.30pm after attending a grog session.
The NFA concluded that there were no signs of deliberate fire-setting or arson.
NFA Chief Executive Officer Puamau Sowane says the tragedy is a painful reminder of how quickly lives can be lost through preventable actions.
Sowane says unattended cooking, particularly late at night or after consuming alcohol, continues to pose a serious fire risk in homes and is urging families to take kitchen safety seriously.
The NFA is reminding the public to avoid cooking when tired or under the influence of alcohol, never leave cooking unattended, switch off stoves and gas cylinders after use, and carry out a final kitchen safety check before going to bed.
