An elderly woman in her late 50’s is recovering at relatives home after she sustained burns in a house fire in Votualevu in Nadi last Saturday.

She was rushed to the Nadi hospital after sustaining facial burns after her flat was completely destroyed by fire.

Police spokesperson Ana Naisoro confirmed a three flat house belonged to a 44-year-old despatch clerk was completely destroyed.

“Estimated cost of damage is $210,000. The cause of fire is yet to be ascertained. A Joint investigation with National Fire Authority is underway,” Ms Naisoro said.

The fire broke out at around 10am which is believed to have started from one of the flats.

House owner Sanjeev Raj said, his 20 years of sacrifice is now left in ashes within seconds.

“Ten years I have lived with my in-laws, I saved my money and my wife’s wages and we built this house”.

According to Mr Raj he was at work when his wife called to inform him of the disastrous incident leaving eleven people homeless.

“The fire brigade came but it was too late so they tried to stop the fire from spreading to our neighbour’s wooden house.”

Five homeless in separate incident

Meanwhile in a separate fire incident five people were left homeless after their three bedroom house was reduced to ashes in Legalega, Nadi last Friday.

Home owner Samuela Latianara, 36, and his children were still contemplating their future.

Mr Latianara said they have been living in the house since 2003 after his father died.

“That house had a lot of memories with it and it was my father who had built our home and today the house is gone,” Mr Latianara said.

He said the family members were at the front porch chatting with a church chaplain when they noticed smoke coming from the back room.

“Our neighbours shouted that black smokes were coming out so we all ran out,” he said.

He said it was the windy and the fire was fast but they managed to save their clothes.