Two houses were destroyed and 15 people were left homeless after a fire gutted both properties at Kavika Place in Nakasi yesterday.

The fire started from the house belonging to Edwin Sen before spreading to the adjacent double-storey house belonging to Terence Brown.

Neighbours, Shyna Singh and Zaid Dean, highlighted the need for one national emergency line. “I called 917, which just kept ringing. I was told to call 9111 by a person called Alipate,” Ms Singh said.

“There are so many emergency numbers, which one should we call. And after we had been able to call through, the fire trucks came in about 20 minutes late.

“I called about 11 times on 911,” Mr Dean said.

Mr Sen said they were inside their five-bedroom house when they were alerted by their neighbours.

“When we came out of the house, we saw fire coming from my brother’s room. There were electrical sparks from his room,” Mr Sen said.

“We were not able to save anything from the house, the blaze was too strong. I believe that my neighbour’s house could have been saved if fire trucks had arrived earlier.”

Firefighters at the scene. The fire at Kavika Place in Nakasi that destroyed two homes. Photo: Shalveen Chand

Mr Sen, his wife Ashika, his mother, three brothers and his three children lived in the house.

Mr Brown said he was also alerted by the neighbours.

“I don’t know what to say. I am in shock. My hands are still shaking,” he said.

Mr Brown lived upstairs in a wooden portion of the house while his sister and her husband and their three children lived downstairs.

Mr Brown said his house was insured.

The children were away for the holidays. The family was saddened by the loss of one of their pets. Both their dogs were chained.

It was neighbour Vijendra Singh who untied both the dogs, however, one of them ran back towards the house.

Neighbours have offered help to the families in the form of shelter and some are even starting a collection for clothes to be given to the two families.

Both families say they would be heading to their relatives’ places for now.

Police and the National Fire Authority are still investigating the cause of the fire.

Edited by Ivamere Nataro

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